Ottawa, Ontario, November 8, 2024 — The Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum is pleased to launch its 2024 Artist-in-Residence exhibition, Hidden Heroes, featuring the work of Don Kwan. Hidden Heroes weaves the stories of unsung heroes of the Cold War into compelling mixed-media installations, shedding light on the contributions of essential workers during a crucial chapter of Canadian history.
The exhibition encourages reflection on diverse narratives of Canadian Forces Station (CFS) Carp staff — nurses, cooks, mechanics, and others — who sustained the bunker’s operations between 1962 and 1994, and whose efforts were essential to the country’s preparedness during the Cold War. The contributions of these and other “hidden heroes” of the era enrich our national story.
After months researching, exploring the Diefenbunker’s archives, and reflecting on the Cold War period in Canada, Kwan says, “I’m excited to share the culmination of my residency, which highlights how even the smallest changes can impact the broader Canadian landscape.” At CFS Carp, small steps were being made towards increased equity, inclusion, and diversity, which mirrored advances and milestones seen across Canada during the same era.
In blending historical insights with artistic interpretations, Kwan has truly brought the stories of the Diefenbunker to life — from paper ephemera and archival photographs sewn into paper sculptures which mimic uniforms in the museum’s collections, to words from oral histories of former CFS Carp staff inscribed into “gold” bars crafted of paper clay and joss paper.
Each year, the Diefenbunker’s Artist-in-Residence Program brings in local artists to explore their unique interpretations of the Diefenbunker and its connections to Cold War history. Now in its 10th year, the program adds Don Kwan to its legacy of talented artists. Kwan has held many roles in the arts community, from curating to community building, and knows the power that art can have. Inspired by his personal lens as a queer, third-generation Chinese Canadian artist, Kwan describes this exhibition as an exploration of “the intersections of the Chinese diasporic experience and Canada’s historical narrative during a time of political tension and change.” Through this lens, Kwan provides a deeper understanding of the Diefenbunker’s role in the Cold War and celebrates the contributions of those who have helped shape a more inclusive Canada.
The austere concrete walls of the bunker have seen and continue to see evolving global tensions. Diefenbunker Curator Sean Campbell articulates, “This exhibition is a reminder that everyday actions can produce extraordinary things and leave lasting memories — which the Diefenbunker now preserves for future generations. Like the gold bars Don Kwan has sculpted, imprinted with voices from the Cold War, people’s stories contribute to something bigger. Each perspective is worth its weight in gold.”
Visitors can experience the stories and installations of Hidden Heroes at the Diefenbunker from Friday, November 8, 2024, until Sunday, February 2, 2025. Admission to the exhibition is included with museum admission. Book your visit today at diefenbunker.ca.
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Image caption:
The Diefenbunker’s 2024 Artist-in-Residence Don Kwan in the Bank of Canada Vault with an installation from the exhibition Hidden Heroes. Image courtesy of the Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum.
Additional images are available upon request.
For more information, please contact:
Jordan Vetter
Marketing and Communications Manager
Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum
[email protected]
613-839-0007 x274
About the Diefenbunker’s Artist-in-Residence Program
Since 2014, the Diefenbunker’s Artist-in-Residence Program has fostered connections between the museum, local artists, and the wider Ottawa community through the creation and presentation of art inspired by our national historic site.
About the Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum
The Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum is Ottawa’s immersive history destination, inside an impressive four-storey underground facility that operated as the country’s central communications headquarters during the Cold War. Since 1998, the Diefenbunker has operated as a one-of-a-kind museum, national historic site, and independent charitable organization, preserving important Canadian Cold War stories and artifacts. Through award-winning exhibitions, tours, programs, events, and escape rooms, the museum promotes the importance of understanding our past, for present and future generations to strive to build a more peaceful future.
Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum
diefenbunker.ca | @diefenbunker
3929 Carp Road, Ottawa, Ontario K0A 1L0