Wartime trauma, mental illness, and recovery will be explored in an immersive art installation at Artful : The Gallery in Courtenay from August 5 to August 22, 2026. “My Name is Margaret: War, Madness, and Recovery” is the work of Nanaimo author and artist Debbie Marshall. The installation charts the experiences of former Victoria resident Margaret Chaloner in Britain during and immediately after the Second World War. The installation features household objects, clothing, uniforms, and medical records belonging to Chaloner, a fictional figure created by Marshall.

 

For several years, Marshall has worked on projects highlighting the work of women during wartime. She is the author of Give Your Other Vote to the Sister: A Woman’s Journey into the Great War and Firing Lines: Three Women Write the First World War. “The expectations we have of women during wartime are very different from the expectations we have of them in peace,” she says. 

 

Mental health is also a major theme running through the installation, with haunting displays depicting the impact of war on women’s mental and emotional health. The installation was first launched at the Ladysmith Gallery in March 20, 2025 and was viewed by over 200 people. Artist Grant Leier found the show compelling. “The fictional composite of Margaret becomes a sounding board for what we now know were thousands of women at this time,” says Leier. “Marshall's sensitive curating of the installation and her choice of objects, each individual component enhances the narrative and reinforces the message she is so beautifully telling.”

 

Artful : The Gallery is located at 526C Cumberland Rd., Courtenay. 

Exhibition hours are Wednesday to Saturday, 12 pm to 5 pm, August 5 to August 22. 

A launch party will be held on Saturday, August 8, 7 pm to 9 pm. 

There will be an artist talk on Saturday, August 22 at 2 pm.

All events are free.

 

For more information contact Debbie Marshall at 250-816-1293 or parsenippress2@gmail.com