Jack Arts

What We Carried With Us

What would you bring with you as a ‘souvenir from home’? What We Carried With Us focuses on cherished objects migrants have carried with them to their new homes in Scotland. From a single earring to a teapot, a reed calligraphy set to a cassette tape, these objects represent the deep emotional connection migrants keep with those they leave behind. 

Created by artist and filmmaker Pieter van der Houwen in collaboration with photographer Lachlan Young, and supported by Creative Scotland, Unesco and Refuweegee, What We Carried With Us is a project that humanises the transnational experiences of migrants whilst preserving their anonymity. The objects are photographed almost clinically on a stark white background, accompanied by personal narratives in English and the migrants’ native tongues. We partnered on the project to create a street gallery on our poster site in Glasgow’s bustling east end, sparking crucial dialogues on the impact of migration and what it means to leave your life behind.