Photography alumna receives English Heritage portfolio commission

Mia Parker-Tang

After graduating from her Photography BA (Hons) course in 2019, Mia – now based in Peterborough – worked as a freelance photographer and showed in an exhibition at London’s Truman Brewery.

The England’s New Lenses programme has selected four artists under 25 to find photographic inspiration in an English Heritage site of their choice. The scheme is being run in partnership with development agency Photoworks and Shout Out Loud – English Heritage’s national youth engagement programme.

Mia will work at coastal sites including Cornwall’s Tintagel Castle to produce works inspired by studio portraiture. Working primarily with self-portraiture, her photographs explore intersections between her own heritage and the geological time through tactile nature prints made by hand.

Speaking about her time studying at Brighton, Mia said, “My time was in many ways the beginning of my process and the work I create now. Being close to landscapes like Seven Sisters really inspired me and the course gave me a lot of freedom to explore my ideas.’

‘Learning to print by hand has given my work the softness and tactility I’d wanted to get across for a really long time. A major factor in making my time at Brighton so positive was the constant support and kindness from the other students. Their talent and feedback on my practice was super inspiring and made a lasting impact I’m incredibly grateful for.”

You can find Mia’s work on her portfolio website and on Instagram.