Permissions

Permissions documents Emma Hardy’s family over a period of more than twenty years. As the artist’s children grew into adulthood, she turned her gaze towards her own mother, re-examining their relationship through a lens.

Moments of recognisable domesticity are counterbalanced with more ethereal and amplified stories. Permissions bears witness to the artist’s endeavour to not only balance home life and motherhood— while raising three children— but also sustain her own professional life and creativity. The photographs in the book show moments of recognisable domesticity interspersed withmore idyllic scenes. The images evidence Hardy’s attempts to balance her creativeprofessional life with motherhood—watching her children grow and change alongside amaturing relationship with her own mother. The book is divided into chapters, eachannounced by large-format still life of home-grown flowers, made as a farewell during thelast spring spent in the family’s house. As the book progresses, Hardy’s children growincreasingly independent and begin to venture away and out of frame. The project drew to anatural conclusion as the family moved away from their home.