During my visit, however, I quickly learned that was not the case. By the time I left, my mind had been blown, particularly when it came to the war stories we don't hear as often — those about women, Indigenous people, people of colour and those with intersecting identities.
Elisha Barry in the hallway leaving the LeBreton Gallery.Elisha Barry | Narcity Meda
First impressions
The museum is a stunning brutalist-style building on the edge of the Ottawa River, just next to the Chaudière Bridge. My super knowledgeable guide explained the intention was to make the Canadian War Museum more sombre and angular than its sister institution, the Canadian Museum of History, across the river.
On Remembrance Day, the sunlight lines up with the small window to show the tomb of the unknown soldier inside this structure.Elisha Barry | Narcity Meda
Architect Raymond Moriyama, himself a survivor of Japanese internment camps in the 20th century, set out to design a building that looked like it had been damaged by war and was collapsing in on itself — a somewhat "bunker-esque" building.
'Outside the Lines — Women Artists and War'
Upon arriving, I met Dr. Stacey Barker, who curated the museum's latest exhibition, Outside the Lines — Women Artists and War, which runs until January 5, 2025. She gave me a tour of this unique exhibit, which brings together dozens of works by women artists in Canada to explore the influences, experiences and diverse historical perspectives of the artists who created them.
Official war artist Molly Lamb Bobak is honoured as part of the exhibition. Elisha Barry | Narcity Meda
I was immediately surprised at the size and complexity of the exhibition space. It was cool to see female artists' art highlighted on the walls when I'd been expecting a museum filled with tanks and ammunition.
Dr. Barker explained that the exhibition is called Outside the Lines because it features fine art from women who were historically outside the front lines of war but nonetheless part of Canada's history. The pieces featured explore broader themes of war than just the battles themselves, which I found fascinating.
For example, Dr. Barker showed me a work by artist Molly Lamb Bobak featuring Private Roy of the Canadian Women’s Army Corps, one of the only paintings of a Black woman soldier from that time. Another shows military women in their barracks, chatting and changing — a perspective that a male artist would not be able to capture.
'Private Roy, Canadian Women’s Army Corps' by Molly Lamb Bobak,1946. Right: 'This is Dormitory' by Pegi Nicol MacLeod, 1945.Elisha Barry | Narcity Meda
The exhibit progresses chronologically as you move through the space, with cutout portals that increase in size with each era to symbolize women's growing roles and opportunities over time. The wall to the present-day section is wide open.
This expansion of women's opportunities is also present in the art displayed. Many of the earliest pieces in the exhibition, from the 19th century, are by white, upper-class women who painted in their free time and generally feature men.
Later works, meanwhile, show women depicted in battle, and we see people of colour as both the subjects and artists. We don't see this in the earlier sections, save for the drawings by an Indigenous woman from the early 1800s depicting battles between her people and European settlers and British Marines.
'Stack' by Gertrude Kearns, 2004. Right: 'Gas Drill' by Molly Lamb Bobak, 1944.Elisha Barry | Narcity Meda
A multi-sensory experience
A unique and captivating part of the exhibition is its use of multimedia to engage the senses. In one painting depicting workers in a munitions factory in Montreal during the First World War, messages on the wall and the clanging and slamming sounds of a bustling factory playing overhead invite you to imagine yourself back in time.
'Women Making Shells' by Henrietta Mabel, May, 1919.Elisha Barry | Narcity Meda
Dr. Barker explained that a Montreal composer created a dramatic soundscape that plays throughout the exhibition to create a feeling of suspense among visitors. There are even touch screens that let you delve deeper into the details of the art and some accompanying videos so you can learn more about the artist or the subject depicted.
'Legacy Shadow Quilt' by Ozell Borden, 2016, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the No. 2 Construction Battalion.Elisha Barry | Narcity Meda
The final section of the exhibition, "Contemporary Artists: 1995 to Present Day," features works created within the last 30 years. Many are by Indigenous people or people of colour depicting what their family members went through in past battles, for example, a painting of a woman's mother as a child in an internment camp and a quilt commemorating the all-Black No. 2 Construction Battalion.
'Antipersonnel' by Barb Hunt, 1998–2003.Elisha Barry | Narcity Meda
One standout piece is a display of landmines found around the world recreated in pink yarn knitted by Barb Hunt. This shows the contrast between knitting, which is associated with softness and femininity, and the violence of land mines.
The final piece showcases textile art from the museum's first Artist-in-Residence, Elise Lavallee Findlay, from Banff, Alberta. She made textile reproductions of key pieces from the exhibit, such as a portrait miniature from the first section and a gas mask.
'Storied Objects' by the Museum's first-ever artist-in-residence, Elise Lavallee Findlay, 2024.Elisha Barry | Narcity Meda
The permanent collection
After Outside the Lines, we visited the museum's permanent galleries. There were so many fascinating things to see, from a walk-through recreation of First World War trenches and a Mercedes previously owned by Adolf Hitler to an actual piece of the Berlin Wall, which came down in 1991 and today represents unity and healing in Germany and worldwide.
A piece of the Berlin Wall, gifted to Canada during a German conference held at what is now the Senate of Canada.Elisha Barry | Narcity Meda
Final thoughts
My experience at the Canadian War Museum blew me away. First of all, it's way bigger than I thought it would be, and its exhibitions are not afraid to explore the complex issues brought up by war.
Outside the Lines was the highlight of my visit, and it shifted my understanding of the museum's role in commemorating the nation's military history. Seeing Canada's military history from the perspective of women, especially Indigenous women and women of colour, was genuinely eye-opening.
'Remembering Batoche' by Métis artist Christi Belcourt, 2001.Elisha Barry | Narcity Meda
I also loved that the exhibition included a variety of art forms, from paintings and sketches to photos, quilts and textile work. The interactive elements kept me engaged and taught me way more than I could learn simply by looking. It was also very cool to learn about the exhibit from Dr. Barker, who curated it.
Overall, Outside the Lines — Women Artists and War is a great exhibition for both new and past visitors. It will not only make you think differently about women in Canada during wars but also make you reconsider what you think you know about the Canadian War Museum.
To learn more about Outside the Lines — Women Artists and War, visit the Canadian War Museum's website or follow them on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.
Although products were provided for free in this review, the author's opinions are genuine and do not reflect the views of Narcity Media.
