Emma Hercus - Aotearoa Art Fair 2026
‘Girls can do anything’
The artworks for this show focus on the strong women who hold the world together quietly and persistently. The paintings draw from the lives of the women I know and love — mothers, sisters, friends — whose days are shaped by care, resilience, humour, and a deep commitment to their friends, children and families.
Within these works, I am thinking about our place: the landscapes we move through, growing up, the homes we build, and the small rituals that structure our lives. Reading a book, taking a break, gathering food, lighting fires, waiting for visitors, protecting what we love — these moments may appear ordinary, yet they are where life gathers its meaning.
The figures in the paintings are both from memory and dreamed up. They carry baskets, animals, children, stories. They are watchers, gatherers, protectors and dreamers. Their presence acknowledges the strength that exists within everyday acts of care and attention.
