Susan Aldworth: Belongings

In 1924, Susan’s grandmother – Luigia Berni – left the small town of Bardi, in Northern Italy, for a new life in London. She was 23 years old, newly married and carrying a small baby. She was travelling alone. In her small suitcase, alongside basics for her and the baby, was her grandmother’s linen nightdress which got passed down to each generation.

This exhibition takes you through the imagined contents of Luigia’s suitcase to re-create her experience of migration. Thirty-five items of antique clothes are hand-embroidered with family photographs, stories and recipes. Suspended in mid-air, the clothing and narratives takes to in a journey, a journey of memory, experiences, and life. The power of story telling.

But also, the exhibition seeks to challenge prevailing anti-immigration and anti-asylum narratives, which, today, global migration and forced displacement are at a record high. In the UK, despite a rich history of positive migration impacts, hostile policies and increasing experiences of racism and discrimination have made it difficult for many of the people who migrate or seek sanctuary to feel that they belong.

Watch video here.