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| Writing home |
Room to Breath is an exhibition made from a collection of rooms, - a bedroom, kitchen and dining room, a school room and barber shop - each space is filled with personal items and stories from generations of people spanning the 20th century to current day - all are incredibly brave souls who travelled from all over the globe to start a new life in Britain for a plethora of reasons - and their journey's are inspiring.
You'll find personal photos and memories shared throughout and you really get a insight into daily challenges and struggles. Both children and adults share their stories of good and not-so-good experiences, how they coped settling into new homes, how different it was to their expectations, how they survived and found happiness. I was moved and mesmerised by them all. What struck me was how current and relevant everything I read was - that feeling of displacement is real today. It isn't confined to the 1930s or 40s, 50s or 60s - it's happening now.
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| Dressing table |
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| From the bedroom |
In the kitchen, there a reminders of groceries and recipes which am sure will make many homesick. And the connection between food and home memories and loved ones is something all of us can relate to. As I walked through the kitchen - I kept hearing people laughing or gasping in surprise - "That was your father's favourite, still is, actually!" Or. That's how your Nan makes them." Siblings and friends sharing memories - or parents telling little ones something about their past. Definitely made me smile.
I felt a connection with several stories. I could empathise with the feeling of being uprooted and not knowing anyone and not speaking the language - this resonated with me greatly and reminded me of when I first moved to Tokyo. You really do feel alienated in a way and I don't think I will recover from that. It is a battle scar you wear for life. London for me is home now and transitioning here was hard because it was a move from East to West and one of my first memories of arriving in London was the fact that I could understand what everyone was saying - it was overwhelming and sent me into a state of fight or flight for a while.
Room to Breathe is currently showing in the Migration Museum currently located in Lewisham shopping centre and I hope they do find a good permanent home because their work is important and they have upcoming events and workshops.What I particularly loved about this exhibition was the option to share your own thoughts - in notebooks on tables or on the walls outside - really well thought out. There is a contemporary feel through out the rooms, and it is well curated - I definitely recommend sitting in the barber's chair for some good old banter. Oh - and there are some cute gifts on exit - I bought a postcard and a little Mayan worry bag which you put your worries in at night and place them under your pillow so they will be taken away but morning - sweet!
Do check out Room to Breath if you can, and listen to the stories - if you get emotional, don't worry - you're not alone. - Talei x
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| Recipes and memories in the kitchen |
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| Shelves of wonderful tings |
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| This made me smile |
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| This made me chuckle HARD |
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| From the school room |
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| I spent a little time at this table |
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| The barbers chair with fab banter |
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| Project Humane - lovely palette x |
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| People adding their own thoughts to conversations |
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| You can share your own story here! |
PS: All snaps are my own images.
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