We sat down with Emma to discuss the inspiration behind ‘Kindred’, how her ancestors’ lives have shaped her work, and the backstories behind her paintings.
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind Kindred?
My mum found a suitcase full of our old family photos, hiding in her garage. We had a lovely time going through them together. She told me who everyone was, and some photos were a surprise for her too. We found some old photos of mum’s father when he was in the war, and all the places he had been. There were a lot of her as a child, growing up in Hawkes Bay. It's wonderful to have found such a rich source of inspiration in our family's history and old photos. Exploring my ancestors' lives and interests has given me a deeper understanding of my own identity and connections to the past. It's amazing how much we can learn from our family's experiences and how they have influenced who we are today.
Painting these interesting characters from the past is a meaningful and creative way to connect with my family history. It's like bringing them back to life through my art and preserving their stories for future generations. It's fascinating to see the similarities between our small family and those who came before us and to ponder the age-old question of nature versus nurture.
Emma Hercus with dog Ricky in her studio. Photo courtesy of Ashely Church.
Would you like to share some of the backstories behind the photographs?
‘Poppa G takes off’ is a photo of my Poppa George learning to fly. He flew in the second world war, although he didn’t get very far as he crashed his plane early on. I remember we went to visit him once and he gave my brother Ben part of the broken propeller as a present. I think he still has it somewhere.
Got some crays – my mum grew up in Hawkes Bay and they used to go on holiday at Waimarama Beach. She remembers them getting loads of crayfish. The locals would keep a massive pot boiling down by the beach so people could dip their crays in and cook them on their way home.
Got some crays, 2024. Acrylic on canvas, 1010 x 1010mm
How do you navigate the balance between honouring the original memories captured in the photographs and adding your own artistic interpretation?
I feel like by creating a piece of art from the photos I am honouring their memories. The people in the photos are celebrated and live on through my artwork. The works are a snapshot in time. I hope they relate to many families who grew up in New Zealand. The characters in the paintings are semi-abstracted and to me represent many people rather than just an individual. I also went through the photos with family and learnt a lot about the people in the photos before I painted them.
Your artwork is described as naïve and semi-abstract. Could you elaborate on your artistic style and how it complements the themes of memory and identity in your work?
I think naïve semi-abstract is just how I paint. I’m not a perfectionist, and the naïve style suits my personality. I also like the characters to not be any one person. I think they are more relatable if they aren’t life-like. For me, the beauty is in the patterns, colour, contrast and story. I love visible layers of paint, so you can see right through a painting to the ground and also often the canvas or panel underneath. I suppose my storytelling comes from my life and memories. Painting figuratively is the most logical way for me to tell a story.
How do you hope viewers will engage with your art, particularly in relation to the themes of family, memory, and the passage of time?
I hope it brings back fond memories of growing up in Aotearoa and makes them think about their own childhood and ancestors. It would be great if it inspires people to look through their own family photos and think about where they came from and their own culture.
