Secrets Beneath the Sea - designing our exhibition

By Kai Hilton

Communications Officer - Design and Visitor Experience 

Concealed under the tumbling waves, is a host of beautiful and diverse marine life. By showcasing some fantastic local marine photography at Brighton Seafront Gallery, we could reveal the secrets of the vibrant marine life that is hidden beneath our Sussex seas, hoping to make passers-by stop, think and learn about what is living so close to all of us. Spoiler alert – it’s all much closer than you might think!

It’s not very often that, as a graphic designer, you get the opportunity to create something so freely. We are generally bound to restrictive brand identities and specific briefs with varying levels of creative freedom. But this project was very different, and with massive amounts of collaboration, we created a theme for each of the nine display pillars.

I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of this project, it gave me a chance to unleash some creativity that had been boiling up inside of my brain like a dormant volcano. I was inspired by many different types of media and design, for example “Nudies” was based on vintage erotic burlesque show posters. “Rave Beneath the Waves” took inspiration from 90s rave posters, featuring neon graphics which went perfectly with the fluorescent glow of some of the anemones featured.

I got to use a wide range of different techniques, including illustrating an alternative Mermaid for “Mermaid’s Purse”. Mermaid’s purses have a spiked, almost goth feel to them. It was a joy to pay homage to my teenage years spent listening to My Chemical Romance and wearing beaten-up Converse.

Secrets Beneath the Sea is available to view 24/7 until 19 July 2026 at Brighton Seafront Gallery, situated between the Upside Down House and i360. 54 Kings Rd, Brighton BN1 2HJ.

Huge thanks to exhibition collaborators, Wayforward Brighton and Locate Productions, as well as all the amazing photographers who contribute their images to support the work of Sussex Wildlife Trust and whose images we used here: Paul Parsons, Paul Naylor, Piers Fearick, Claire Andrews, Alexander Mustard, Caroline Weir, Scott Rico and Paul Boniface.