The Marconi Collection
Between Earth & Air
Between Earth & Air tells hidden stories about ten iconic objects from the Marconi Collection, framed by wave images visualising the development of radio from Marconi to the present day.
Radio feels like a magical technology: waves of energy travelling invisibly through the air, connecting us to the world.
Between Earth & Air evokes Marconi’s epic endeavour to free communication from earth-bound wired telegraphy, connecting the world over the airwaves.
It also refers to the circuits into which these ten objects once connected, buzzed, sparked and hummed — between aerial and earth.
Finally, it honours Marconi's experimental approach and determination by referencing his practical finding: that grounding radio aerials improves how well they work.
Light — like radio — is an electromagnetic wave.
As I learned more about the story of radio, I realised that radio waves evolved with that story. So I made those waves visible by creating a series of artworks using light.
This process of creating, transmitting and capturing light echoes the experimental nature of early radio communication.
Hermeet Gill, Artist and creator of Between Earth & Air