Greater Govanhill Community Canvas: FONDS - Stories of People through Objects they love

Open Wednesday - Friday 11am - 5pm
Saturday 11am - 6pm
Sunday 11am - 5pm

New to Tramway's Upper Gallery, the Greater Govanhill Community Canvas presents its first display.

FONDS, a new photography exhibition, film and podcast, tells the stories of Govanhill through some of its residents' most treasured objects, and invites listeners to embark on a captivating journey through their lives. 

Told through photography and in the participants' own words, FONDS is a project about how the evocative objects we keep connect us to the people and places we love. 

Some of the objects included in the collection are a glass fish, a box of spells, a wooden boat, a sticking plaster, and a teddy bear. From Pakistan to Syria, Turkey to Hong Kong, the objects featured represent stories of migration, transformation, love, and resilience. 

The exhibition is accompanied by a film, and a podcast series. Search for FONDS wherever you get your podcasts.

The Greater Govanhill Community Canvas can be found in our Upper Gallery and is accessible during Tramway's opening hours.

About Greater Govanhill
Greater Govanhill is an award-winning non-profit community magazine. It was launched in 2020 to challenge negative stereotypes about the area, provide a platform typically marginalised voices and bring people together. As well as a bi-monthly magazine, the team run a local news website and The Community Newsroom space as a collaborative media hub. 
Visit the website

More about FONDS

FONDS, a term borrowed from archival science denoting a group of objects with a shared origin, delves into the rich tapestry of Govanhill by exploring the personal narratives behind objects that hold deep sentimental value.

FONDS was created in 2022 by Morwenna Kearsley, who worked on the project during a two year community based residency with Street Level Photoworks as part of their Culture Collective programme. It was developed in partnership with Greater Govanhill community magazine and Thriving Govanhill. In 2022, the images were shown in shop windows as an outdoor exhibition around the neighbourhood. 

The first stage of the project was supported by the Year of Stories 2022 Community Stories Fund. This fund was delivered in partnership between VisitScotland and Museums Galleries Scotland with support from National Lottery Heritage Fund thanks to National Lottery players. The second stage of the project also received an award from The National Lottery Community Fund, made possible by National Lottery players. 

Image - Arij, Perfume Bottle. Photo by Morwenna Kearsley