Artist Susan Aldworth is sharing her grandmother’s story of leaving her homeland, with just a suitcase of belongings, in the context of the high number of women from Ukraine, Afghanistan and Syria currently seeking refuge today.
The immersive installation at Edinburgh Printmakers includes a nightdress her grandmother took on her original journey in 1924, along with 35 antique pieces of clothing, hand embroidered with family photographs, recipes, messages and stories.
Suspended in mid-air, they demonstrate the transitory and emotional nature of an uprooted life.
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Belongings is driven by Aldworth’s desire to highlight how every refugee or migrant has their own story to tell and her distress at the current hardline anti-immigration stance of the UK Government, accompanied by worsening anti-immigrant rhetoric in the media.
The artist is inviting visitors to Edinburgh Printmakers to see the installation, walk through and touch the artworks to share their own stories.
She said: “It upsets me to find out through my research into my family history that nothing much has changed in terms of migrant experience in 100 years in terms of stigma, prejudice and being kept an outsider.
“It seems to take three generations to feel like you belong.
“Despite evidence of the positive impact of immigration on cultural and economic life in the UK over centuries, coming from a migrant, exile or refugee background can impact on life chances and wellbeing as it still carries stigma and prejudice.
“I decided to tell my grandmother’s story in the hope it will resonate with many.”
Belongings opens in April, along with another exhibition by Aldworth which is the result of a collaboration with Dr Amanda Jarvis of the University of Edinburgh, a researcher in sustainable chemistry.
Modern Alchemy explores how to recycle and replace precious metals with cheaper, more abundant alternatives.
Aldworth said: “Amanda is part of a team of scientists looking at whether using chemistry alongside biology can change how metals bind within a catalyst, so that we don’t have to mine these very expensive metals that damage the environment.
“I found that really exciting and etched some of my plates in her laboratory using Aqua Regia – an acid compound used in medieval times to dissolve gold.
“The laboratory became the studio and, as these experiments are not to create riches but protect the environment, I feel this is a kind of modern alchemy.
“My prints reflect these experiments where in some cases gold leaf is added to the print following the reactive mark marking and I’m excited to show these works together for the first time.”
Dr Jarvis said it was “illuminating” to see similarities between the artist and scientist but also the differences such as how feelings are often excluded from the scientific experiment.
“I’ve always wanted to work with artists to produce work that is based on science but is not overtly scientific which I think we have here,” she said. “I’m excited to see these pieces bring chemistry to a wider audience.”
Edinburgh Printmakers chief executive Janet Archer said: “Susan Aldworth’s award-winning, impactful work has engaged audiences in the UK and internationally and we’re very much looking forward to seeing the response to two very different exhibitions here at Edinburgh Printmakers.
“Susan’s background in philosophy, and strong interest in investigating the workings of the human mind and our sense of self, shows up in different ways for both of these exhibitions.
“The hugely powerful and moving installation Belongings helps us relate to and connect with the humanity of every migrant’s journey.
“In Modern Alchemy, Susan brings her career experience of working as an artist-in-residence in a medical or academic setting. This access to scientists, patients and health professionals as well as philosophers and art historians brings its own particular type of alchemy as Susan shares her gift of using printmaking to capture the complexities of scientific research.”
Susan Aldworth: Modern Alchemy is part of the Edinburgh Science Festival 2026 and is supported by ASCUS Art & Science