Montague and Swayne’s exhibition in the Landing Gallery at Hastings Museum. The three prints in the foreground are Montague’s representation of Logie Baird’s near-death experience from electrocution.

A historic explosion and an esoteric investigation

The current exhibition in the upstairs gallery of Hastings Museum is an extraordinary exploration of a local inventor by two contemporary polymath artists – Jude Montague and Geraldine Swayne. Erica Smith is delighted that this gem of an exhibition has had a stay of execution and will remain on show until 20 April.

Just over 100 years ago, a Hastings resident was experimenting in his laboratory. He wrote about it in a letter to his financial backer, Mr William Day:

“I also had a very unpleasant experience and I suppose I should be thankful to be still alive. I got a shock from one thousand volts – it twisted me up and flung me across the laboratory. Fortunately nothing was damaged except my hands which are badly burnt. The doctor was surprised I was still alive! … The people next door and round about thought there had been an explosion. I must have come down with a big bump but don’t remember much about it.”

The inventor was John Logie Baird, and he had just succeeded in transmitting a shadowy, moving image of a strip of cardboard in his laboratory in Hastings in July 1924.

TRANSMISSIONS – or The Psychoshadowery of John Logie Baird is a joint exhibition by Swayne and Montague. It follows on from last year’s group exhibition and performances, Spirit of Invention, which celebrated the centenary of John Logie Baird’s development of television in Hastings at Electro Studios Project Space.

Montague continues to be fascinated by Baird’s compulsion to invent – whether it was making jam in Trinidad (fly-ridden), medicated socks (his first successful patent) or air-cushioned insoles (later perfected by Dr Marten). Baird was compelled to explore and create and would say “I must invent something”. This phrase is used in one of a series of short films shot by Geraldine Swayne, where Montague dons Baird’s persona, as if ‘channelling’ him.

The exquisite paintings by Geraldine Swayne in the exhibition showcase her expertise as a portrait painter across different media, but it was her work as a filmmaker which was a revelation to me. I really enjoyed the triptych of short films shot on the West Hill, at the Burton tomb in St Leonards and Mad Jack Fuller’s folly in Brightling.

‘Artefact of Transmissions I (Jude vs Logie Baird)’ by Geraldine Swayne, oil and pastel on canvas

The curator of the exhibition, Oli Rogers, works at Hastings Museum and Gallery and is a writer and artist with an interest in the intersection of esoterica and technology. His input into the collaborative exhibition is clear – encouraging Swayne and Montague to explore the light and dark in their visions of John Logie Baird and to expand the narrative into the historical landscapes of Sussex.

Jude Montague channels Logie Baird in a film by Geraldine Swayne.

Like the Stories from DEEP TIME exhibition in the main gallery, Transmissions or The Psychoshadowery of John Logie Baird is an exciting partnership between the worlds of science and art. If you haven’t been to visit these two excellent exhibitions yet, make your way over to Hastings Museum and Art Gallery for a memorable experience.

Transmissions runs until 20 April and Deep Time closes on 27 April.
Hastings Museum and Art Gallery is at John’s Place, Bohemia Road, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 1ET and is open from Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 5pm and Sundays, 11am–4.30pm. Admission is free.

Geraldine Swayne: painter, audio artist and filmmaker www.geraldineswayne.org

Jude Montague: fine art printmaker, graphic novelist, writer, composer and broadcaster www.judecowanmontague.com and www.montaguearmstrong.com

Also in: Visual Arts