The exhibition “Camouflage–From battlefield to catwalk” is displayed at the Canadian War Museum until September 6, 2010. Presented in partnership with London’s Imperial War Museum, this exhibition of military equipment, uniforms, models, artworks, casual wear and haute couture uncovers the surprising connections between strategy and style, and bring to light the patterns and products that conceal armies, inspire artists and dominate fashion.
“Camouflage was worn by all of the world’s armies and in all of the world’s wars” said Dr. Dean Oliver, Director of Research and Exhibitions at the Canadian War Museum.”It’s form of defense, a form of attack, and a form of cultural expression”.
The exhibition includes camouflage bikinis, stiletto shoes, DPM Series 2 Andy Warhol skateboards by Maharishi, recycled military jackets by maharishi, evening dresses by Jean Paul Gaultier and head-wear by Philip Treacy, as well as Hardy Blechman’s DPM : Mappa embroidered tapestry, a camouflage variant of Boetti’s earlier Mappa. The collection, which includes 150 artifacts from 25 institutions, traces the history and development of military camouflage over the last century, from the earliest hand-panted attempts to hide and disguise weapons, positions and people during the First World War to patterns generated today.
“If there’s one thing to be learned from the Canadian War Museum’s exhibition about camouflage, it’s that deceptive designs infiltrated popular culture so quickly that we scarcely noticed them sneaking up and surrounding us.’— Adam McDowell, National Post, Canada