Where The Medium Becomes A Channel
I’ve always been drawn to the figure of the medium as something that exists between states. In art, the medium is not defined by identity, but by function. She does not produce meaning, she transmits it. The image is constructed around this idea of passage, where something moves through rather than originates within. What interests me most is how this condition is visualised.
The Body As Passage
The body of the medium is rarely depicted as solid or self-contained. It appears open, layered, or partially transparent. This suggests permeability rather than stability. Historically, in spiritualist imagery of the 19th century, mediums were often shown in trance-like states, their bodies acting as conduits. I’ve always been interested in how the figure becomes a space rather than a form. In my work, I often treat the body as something that allows movement through it.
Hands, Threads, And Lines Of Connection
Hands are central in medium imagery, often extended or connected to invisible forces. Threads, lines, or subtle connections may appear linking the figure to external elements. These visual cues suggest transmission. I find this particularly compelling because it makes the invisible relational. In my work, I often use fine lines and connections to indicate unseen structures.
Veils And Thresholds
Veils, curtains, and layered surfaces frequently appear in representations of the medium. These elements do not fully conceal or reveal. Instead, they create thresholds between states. Historically, the veil has symbolised the boundary between the visible and the unseen. I’ve always been drawn to how partial visibility creates tension. In my work, I often use layered forms to suggest this boundary.
Light As Manifestation
Light in medium imagery often appears as something emerging rather than illuminating. Soft glows, floating highlights, and concentrated points of brightness suggest presence becoming visible. In spiritualist photography and symbolic art, light was often used to represent manifestation. I find this particularly interesting because light becomes an event rather than a condition.
Floating Elements And Disembodied Forms
Objects or fragments often appear detached from gravity. Faces, hands, or symbolic shapes may float around the figure. This creates a sense that reality is not fixed. I’ve always been interested in how disembodied elements suggest multiple layers of existence. In my work, I use floating forms to disrupt stability.
When Contact Becomes Structure
At a certain point, the medium is no longer defined by the figure itself, but by the system of connections surrounding her. Body, lines, veils, light, and floating elements form a network of contact. I’ve come to recognise that this creates a visual language where presence is relational rather than contained. In my work, I approach the medium as a system of transmission rather than a subject. Symbols of the medium in art and contact with the unseen exist in this condition, where the image becomes a point of passage.
