Emma Critchley: Soundings

Explore the politics of the deep sea through this immersive video installation at Tate St Ives.

Soundings is an immersive three-screen video and sound installation by Emma Critchley that explores the depths of the ocean. Blending a wide range of footage relating to the deep-sea and its pervading narratives with soundscapes and dance, Critchley confronts pressing questions about deep-sea mining and its impact on the planet.

This work connects audiences to a space few will ever experience firsthand. From an intimate encounter between a dancer and a deep-sea creature to the voices of Pacific activists, Soundings offers a kaleidoscopic portrayal of the deep ocean as a site of ecological, cultural and geopolitical significance. The artist proposes a new way of being that is sensitive to nature’s needs.

At moments during the exhibition, live dance performances animate the work, deepening the connection between the viewer and the creatures on screen. Included in the installation is Rights of the Deep, an open letter co-authored by marine scientists, legal scholars and Indigenous activists calling for the protection of this vital yet vulnerable space.

Soundings is supported by John Hansard Gallery, Tate St Ives, and Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts with public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England. It is presented in cooperation with John Hansard Gallery, Tate St Ives and Quay Arts. Soundings was also kindly supported by South East Dance.

Soundings will also be presented at Quay Arts, Isle of Wight 10 October to 19 December 2025.