Busy Working
Available in A4
Giclee print on Hahnemühle photo rag 308gsm
I grew up working behind closed doors, assisting my parents in their Chinese takeaway all the whilst trying to maintain good grades at school to pursue a future they never had.So every summer when I went to Hong Kong, I peered into shops sometimes and occasionally in the back I would see kids my age also working on Homework as their parents hustled out front. I felt a sense of comfort knowing that this was commonplace for a lot of families. Across the UK, there are multiple immigrant owned businesses; from corner shops to laundrettes to car washes. In these spaces are often whole families, passing in and out, working there to tirelessly childcare at the same time as work.
I used to resent having to do both, why I had to help my parents whilst also doing my homework at any point I got. But as I aged, I came to the understanding my parents didn't have the option of childcare, they didn't have the luxury of hiring help at the shop, so they made do and brought us with. For a lot of families their shop was their home, for many immigrant families, time spent together was time in their businesses. For working class families, this was the only way.
It's bittersweet.
Available in A4
Giclee print on Hahnemühle photo rag 308gsm
I grew up working behind closed doors, assisting my parents in their Chinese takeaway all the whilst trying to maintain good grades at school to pursue a future they never had.So every summer when I went to Hong Kong, I peered into shops sometimes and occasionally in the back I would see kids my age also working on Homework as their parents hustled out front. I felt a sense of comfort knowing that this was commonplace for a lot of families. Across the UK, there are multiple immigrant owned businesses; from corner shops to laundrettes to car washes. In these spaces are often whole families, passing in and out, working there to tirelessly childcare at the same time as work.
I used to resent having to do both, why I had to help my parents whilst also doing my homework at any point I got. But as I aged, I came to the understanding my parents didn't have the option of childcare, they didn't have the luxury of hiring help at the shop, so they made do and brought us with. For a lot of families their shop was their home, for many immigrant families, time spent together was time in their businesses. For working class families, this was the only way.
It's bittersweet.
Available in A4
Giclee print on Hahnemühle photo rag 308gsm
I grew up working behind closed doors, assisting my parents in their Chinese takeaway all the whilst trying to maintain good grades at school to pursue a future they never had.So every summer when I went to Hong Kong, I peered into shops sometimes and occasionally in the back I would see kids my age also working on Homework as their parents hustled out front. I felt a sense of comfort knowing that this was commonplace for a lot of families. Across the UK, there are multiple immigrant owned businesses; from corner shops to laundrettes to car washes. In these spaces are often whole families, passing in and out, working there to tirelessly childcare at the same time as work.
I used to resent having to do both, why I had to help my parents whilst also doing my homework at any point I got. But as I aged, I came to the understanding my parents didn't have the option of childcare, they didn't have the luxury of hiring help at the shop, so they made do and brought us with. For a lot of families their shop was their home, for many immigrant families, time spent together was time in their businesses. For working class families, this was the only way.
It's bittersweet.