Title: The Luggage Project 

Year: 2008 

Artist: Ernest Daetwyler 

Medium: Indiana limestone; bronze

Location: Victoria Park, Gaukel Street entrance 

Kitchener, ON 

Acquisition Method: Public Art (1%) 

The City of Kitchener is one of the most diverse and multicultural cities in 

Canada, welcoming immigrants from all over the world. The local history shows a 

steady stream of newcomers starting in the 18th

 century with the arrival of 

German and Scottish settlers. Voyage and the perspective of the traveler is very 

much a part of the Canadian experience, in particular Kitchener’s identity, and 

inspired me to use luggage as a symbol. Luggage represents belongings on the 

move and all the knowledge, skills and hopes migrants bring with them.  

Eight naturalistically carved suitcases, representing different time periods in our 

past, are placed along the pathways in Victoria Park. The handles and labels of 

the luggage are cast in bronze. Each label carries a message from Kitchener 

residents of different cultural backgrounds saying why they chose Kitchener as 

the city to live in. Additional labels in bronze are placed in unexpected ways 

throughout the park. They may be found on the ground, on a rock, on a bench or 

other locations. 

-Ernest Daetwyler, 2008