The Sculpture references both the importance of the disco ball and chandelier as hallmarks of queer culture while at the same time acts as a scrapbook celebrating Canada’s historical queer moments of strength and resiliance.

Kwan uses the importance of these objects, the chandelier and disco ball, to tell the story of queer history in Canada, noting Ottawa’s first queer protest. The “We Demand Rally” was the first large scale gay rights demonstration in Canada. The rally occurred on August 28, 1971 in Ottawa and subsequently the year Kwan was born.

“We Demand, Disco Chandelier” is a collision of artifacts that connect us to LGBTQ2S+BIPOC  experience and history. photo credit Dylan Holton