Vasari Art Codex

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 7, 2026 visibility 5 link 2 artists, 1 gallery

Artist confronts experience as Sixties Scoop adoptee in Salmon Arm exhibition

Indigenous artist Scott Kwah is set to debut a deeply personal exhibition titled "A.R.E.N.A. babies" at the Salmon Arm Art Gallery, running from April 11 to June 16, 2026. The installation centers on 18 hand-cast concrete figures seated on vintage chairs that emit audio of fragmented, childlike voices questioning their origins and loss of language. The work directly confronts Kwah’s history as a survivor of the Sixties Scoop, specifically referencing the Adoption Resource Exchange of North America (ARENA) program that facilitated the cross-border displacement of Indigenous children.

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Immersive art exhibition coming to Salmon Arm showcases lived experience of Sixties Scoop survivor

The Salmon Arm Art Gallery is set to host "A.R.E.N.A. babies," an immersive installation by local artist Scott Kwah that explores the trauma and resilience of Sixties Scoop survivors. The exhibition's centerpiece features 18 hand-cast concrete figures seated on vintage chairs, utilizing childlike voices to create a sensory space for reflecting on the forced adoption of Indigenous children into non-Indigenous families.