Raeann Kit-Yee Cheung
ARTIST BIO
Born in Hong Kong and raised in Canada, Raeann Kit-Yee Cheung (張傑儀) is a Chinese Canadian artist who leans on a dual heritage to create work that is both personal and universal. By embracing cultural ambiguity, she confronts a melded identity to resolve inner complexities. Raeann holds a Master of Arts in contemporary photography from Falmouth University. She resides in the traditional territories of the peoples of Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta.
ABOUT THIS WORK
Other Children of the Homes explores the hidden history of a British child-migration scheme between 1869 and 1948. With monarchy and government support, over 100,000 children were sent from the United Kingdom to Canada as indentured workers. Others went to Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Only a small portion of these children were orphans; most came from families struggling economically. To alleviate rising poverty, emigration agencies relocated children overseas in the name of philanthropy. Despite good intentions, the scheme became increasingly enterprising, leaving many families separated for life. While some children benefited from the programs, the experience inflicted generational wounds for many.
Two main child migration programs that operated in Canada were The Fairbridge Society and the Barnado’s Foundation. In appealing for donations, both organizations used Home children in advertising campaigns that grossly misrepresented the youngsters’ well-being. Despite being silenced by authorities, the Fairbridge children left evidences of their experiences at the chapel. Leaning on oral stories and archives, a comparison of the sentiments and the advertisements are scrutinized using photo montage.
Home children were shamed into believing they were “guttersnipes”; feeling unwanted by their families, the youngsters therefore grew up hiding their past. While some descendants are unaffected by the secrecy, others are left with fragmented identities. To foster generational healing, descendants were asked to pose for a portrait with an image of their Home-child ancestor. This portrait was in turn captured by a later descendant. The history of the British Home Children remains relatively unknown today, yet approximately 10 percent of Canada’s population are descendants. To that end, this series examines the shrouded reality of the child migration scheme, celebrates the families’ resilience, and considers the intergenerational outcome.
1) Raeann Cheung (2025) Beneath the Surface. Original archive courtesy of Skidmore family.
2) Raeann Cheung (2025) Pat with Mum by Rylan. Original archive courtesy of Skidmore family.
