Artist-Curator of
Her Suitcase
You try to pack your entire life into suitcases, filling one and then starting on another, even as cargo containers cross the ocean. But in the end, what you leave behind will always outweigh what you can carry.
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- Jessica Cheng
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Coming Soon...
Her Suitcase
Poster Design by Meg Tam
The Richard Charles Lee Canada-Hong Kong Library presents the exhibition Her Suitcase by artist-curator Jessica Cheng, a tribute to the Chinese Canadian women from the 1950s to the present. Responding to Dr. Vivienne Poy’s research on Chinese immigrant women to Canada, the exhibition uncovers the stories of women immigrants across generations. In this immersive installation, you will discover manuscripts from the library collections, publications related to Chinese Canadian women and works created by the artist. Through free-hand machine embroidery and ZINE creation, the exhibition brings personal stories to the forefront.
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In the 1950s, before air travel became widespread, immigrants traveling by sea to Canada endured nearly twenty days crossing the Pacific Ocean, battling storms, seasickness, and cramped conditions to reach a new land. Voyage, the theme of this exhibition, reflects not only these maritime journeys but also the emotional and physical challenges faced by women immigrants across generations. Their experiences, like relentless waves, illustrate resilience as they carried both physical belongings and intangible connections to their homelands, navigating the uncertainty of new beginnings.
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To celebrate International Women’s Day, this exhibition highlights the resilience and contributions of Chinese Canadian women to the community. In our journey toward a world of gender equality, visitors are invited to uncover the silent threads of limitation woven through the lives of women across generations—a testament to both their struggle and strength. Migration stories from decades ago share commonalities with those of the newly arrived today. Step into the journey of migration in this new exhibition, where the collections of the library reveal the transitory and emotional nature of uprooted lives in Canada.