"If only you knew..." is how many women begin to tell the story of their lives to photographer Çiğdem Yüksel. The exhibition consists of 22 unique stories of the first generation of women from Turkey in the Netherlands, accompanied by photos from family albums, (video) interviews and portraits. They talk about the pain of migration, homesickness, getting lost and finding their way. They talk about love and unhappy marriages, their contribution to the Dutch economy as factory workers or cleaners, and their struggle for freedom and equality. In the centre, a video installation shows Yüksel reflecting on her grandmother's memories. She was also part of this first generation of Turkish women in the Netherlands.

How to design an exhibition that is both monumental and inviting? One of many design solutions was the use of soft, feminine and strong colours. Despite the huge open space, the floorplan of the exhibition made it possible to present the stories in an intimate way. The life-size portraits were presented as if you could look the women straight in the eye, accompanied by small and large prints of the archive material. The video installation was presented in the centre and could be entered from all sides of the exhibition.