Her Suitcase: A Voyage of Women Immigrants Exhibition

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. Inspired by 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 these personal stories to the forefront.

In the 1950s, before air travel became widespread, immigrants traveling by sea to Canada endured nearly twenty days voyage 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, demonstrated their resilience as they carried both physical belongings and intangible connections to their homelands, navigating the uncertainty of new beginnings.

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 library collections reveal the transitory and emotional nature of uprooted lives in Canada.

Exhibition

Open from 2025 March 8 – May 30 (except May 16 and public holiday)

Monday - Friday: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Free Admission, but registration is required for non-U of T students, staff, and alumni to visit the library. We encourage you to sign up online at least one day before your visit.

*The exhibition will open on March 8 at 4pm, and we warmly welcome everyone to visit starting from that time.

Location:

University of Toronto Libraries

Richard Charles Lee Canada-Hong Kong Library

130 St. George Street, 8th Floor
Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 1A5

Program Overview

Her Suitcase: A Voyage of Women Immigrants Exhibition Opening Reception

Saturday 8 March, 4p.m. – 6p.m.

Talk & Tour with artist-curator Jessica Cheng

Saturday 15 March, 2p.m - 3p.m. 

Text Woven in Thread: Embroidery Workshop

Saturday 5th April, 1p.m. – 3p.m. (with the option of sewing until 4:00 PM)

About the Organizer

The Richard Charles Lee Canada-Hong Kong Library features a unique research collection on Canada-Hong Kong studies. With approximately 71,000 volumes, including 2,500 periodical titles, 1,000 reels of microfilm, 7,000 newspaper clippings and an expanding collection of audio and visual materials, the Richard Charles Lee Library collection is the largest research collection for Hong Kong and Canada-Hong Kong studies outside of Hong Kong. It provides resources and space to accommodate the continuous growth of research interest in Hong Kong, and its relation to Canada and other regions in the world.

About the Artist-Curator

Jessica Cheng is a Hong Kong writer and artist based in Toronto. With a background in Journalism and Comparative Literature, she has a deep interest in exploring diverse forms of storytelling to uncover personal and collective narratives. Her work has been recognized with several awards, including 1st Place in the Hong Kong Literature House's Novel Writing Competition, the University Literary Award, and the Dean's Creative Award. Cheng’s creative projects span various mediums. She has published the handmade book Amoments and documented stories of divorced families in Two Nests – Love from Both. She later adapted these stories into a stage play performed at the HKSC Arts & Culture Centre.

Key Visual Design by Meg Tam

Media Contact: Miss Cherin Cheung | hersuitcase.ca@gmail.com