Underwater goes uptown – Emma Critchley’s Myanmar’s Sea Gypsies

16th until the 24th May 2008

Myanmar’s Sea Gypsies
117 Clerkenwell Road
London, EC1M 5SA

After testing several types of paper, including metallic Digital C-Types and Epson Pigment prints, documentary photographer Emma Critchley settled on traditional Fuji Crystal Archive paper for her forthcoming exhibition Myanmar’s Sea Gypsies – a still and moving images exhibition of work produced with camerawoman Justine Evans & BBC producer Jonny Keeling.

In this magical exhibition we are shown a rare glimpse of the mysterious underwater world of the Moken sea gypsy people of Myanmar (Burma). This enticing mix of still and moving images is the work of underwater photographer Emma Critchley, camerawoman Justine Evans and BBC producer Jonny Keeling who together spent weeks travelling through the scattered islands of the Mergui Archipelago in the Andaman Sea.

Over centuries, these hunter-gatherers have developed the skills to move swiftly and gracefully through water in pursuit of their prey. As the imagery in this exhibition shows, the Moken seem so relaxed in their underwater realm it is easy to forget that they need to breathe air.

For more information contact Lauren Grant at laurengrant@mail.com or visit Emma’s website at www.emmacritchley.com