We’re thrilled to celebrate the success of photography graduate Emma Critchley, whose solo exhibition Soundings opens at Tate St Ives this May.

Since graduating from Brighton University, Emma has built an internationally recognised career as a visual artist exploring the ocean through film, photography, sound and installation. Her work delves into the underwater world as a site of environmental, cultural and political significance—and now, her most ambitious project to date is making a splash on the national stage.

Soundings is a three-screen installation combining moving image, soundscapes and live dance to explore the deep ocean and the urgent global debate around deep-sea mining. The work features everything from intimate underwater encounters to the voices of Pacific activists and marine scientists. It invites viewers to rethink our relationship with one of the planet’s most mysterious and vulnerable spaces.

Launching at the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts during the Brighton Festival, the exhibition then tours to Tate St Ives (24 May – 5 October 2025) and Quay Arts, Isle of Wight (10 October – 19 December 2025).

Emma’s journey from Brighton graduate to internationally acclaimed artist is a reminder of the high-level talent at our university and we couldn’t be prouder.

If you’re interested in starting on your own creative journey, find out more about studying Photography at Brighton.