Susan Aldworth

Susan Aldworth's exhibition 'Belongings' is on at Edinburgh Printmakers Workshop until June 28th and it is simply perfect for our times and perfectly beautiful. 

The installation features 35 individual embroidered and printed antique clothes. Suspended in mid-air, they highlight the transitory and emotional nature of an uprooted life, as Susan brings her personal family history of being uprooted and migrant.

'In 1924, my 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.

Belongings takes you on an immersive journey 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, they highlight the transitory and emotional nature of an uprooted life.

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. Despite these challenges, migrants and sanctuary seekers contribute to and are immensely enriching to our communities – culturally, educationally, economically, and through their work experiences and skills.

What might Luigia’s story a century ago have in common with those newly arriving today? How does it feel to leave your home forever in 2026? What does it mean to belong in the current moment, for people seeking sanctuary in the UK?' Susan Aldworth