The story of Camouflage told at the Canadian War Museum this summer!

The story of Camouflage told at the
Canadian War Museum this summer!

Ottawa, Ontario, March 31, 2009 — This summer the Canadian War Museum will reveal there is far more to camouflage than meets the eye. Opening June 4, Camouflage, the exhibition, traces the development of military concealment over the last century, from soldiers’ uniforms and decoys to the use of camouflage-inspired patterns in fashion and design.

Camouflageexplores how the art of military concealment and deception is a product of human imagination, artistic skill and scientific ingenuity, and how designs, applications and effectiveness have varied greatly over time. It also traces the assimilation of this military strategy into the civilian mainstream by way of anti-war protests and punk rock, to its appearance on high-fashion catwalks and store shelves. Art and design are important themes throughout the exhibition: artists in military service led the development and early evolution of camouflage, which intersects with Cubism, the avant-garde, Canada’s Group of Seven, protest movements and pop art.

“We are extremely honoured to collaborate with the prestigious Imperial War Museum in London, England, to present the largest camouflage-themed exhibition ever to be shown in North America,” said Mark O’Neill, Director General, Canadian War Museum and Vice-President for the Corporation.

The exhibition features more than 150 engaging and unique artifacts on loan from over 25 national and international institutions and private collections. Key pieces include: works of art by Andy Warhol and A.Y. Jackson; haute couture garments by eminent designers such as Jean Paul Gaultier, Yves Saint Laurent and Maharishi; clothing worn by Joe Strummer of The Clash; and a coat hand-painted by First World War camouflage pioneer Eugene Corbin with one of the first camouflage patterns. Also on display are model warships painted in “dazzle” patterns from the First World War; a replica of a 1917 observation post disguised as a fake tree; “Rupert,” a dummy paratrooper from the D-Day invasion; photographs of some of history’s greatest deceptions; and much, much more.

Fans of Project Runway Canada will see the winning camouflage design by Adejoké Taiwo from this year’s premiere episode, which was filmed last August at the Canadian War Museum.

Camouflage ispresented by the Canadian War Museum in partnership with the Imperial War Museum, London, England, from June 4, 2009 to January 3, 2010.

The Canadian War Museum is Canada’s national museum of military history. Its mission is to promote public understanding of Canada’s military history in its personal, national and international dimensions.

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