A celebrated materialisation medium, Helen Duncan (1897–1956) was known for dramatic séances involving ectoplasm—a mysterious substance said to aid spirit manifestation. Experiencing psychic and clairvoyant abilities from a young age, she gave consultations as a medium here at the College during the late 1920s and 30s. During the Second World War, while living in Portsmouth, Duncan revealed the secret sinking of H.M.S. Barham at a séance—information not yet public. Her activities drew the attention of the authorities, and on January 19, 1944, she was arrested under the Witchcraft Act of 1735. Her sensational trial led to a nine-month imprisonment in Holloway Prison and sparked lasting controversy around her legacy, Spiritualism, and state control. Family and supporters continue to seek a posthumous pardon and an apology for her persecution.
Shannon Taggart is an American photographer whose work blends documentary practice with metaphysical inquiry into Spiritualist traditions across the U.S., U.K., and Europe. These two photographs explore the legacy of renowned medium Helen Duncan. The first is the result of Taggart's investigations into the Scole Experiment (1993–98), a circle of mediums known for producing phenomena they claimed as physical evidence of life after death. It documents an apported handkerchief—believed to be a gift from Duncan's spirit—received on Valentine's Day, 1994. The second image shows Duncan's crystal ball being used in psychometric experiments to uncover its hidden history.
Sarah Sparkes is a UK-based artist and curator whose work explores unexplained events and phenomena, and the borderlands between art and science. A former research fellow at the Harry Price Library of Magical Literature, Sparkes created the '101 GHost-stories' series in response to archival investigations into mediumship. These works depict Helen Duncan in séance, bound and emitting ectoplasm. Floral patterns—drawn from the wallpaper of Sparkes' childhood home—carry ancestral resonance and emotional memory. In In Trance Sparkes works directly on a section of that very wallpaper, which she describes as having 'haunted my childhood'. Through layered, symbolic compositions, she weaves together personal haunting and historical documentation, honouring Duncan's resilience and legacy.
All photos: Eva Herzog. Artworks: Courtesy the artists and the collection of The College of Psychic Studies.
