Canadian Forces Artists Program (CFAP) Group 11 Announced

August 12, 2024 – Defence Stories

The Canadian Forces Artists Program (CFAP) is pleased to announce our newest selection of artists to participate as Group 11. This Group of professional artists includes photographer Charles-Frédérick Ouellet; filmmaker and multimedia artist George Fok; curator, installation and multimedia artist Steven Cottingham; installation artist and sculptor Victoria Verge; and writer and photographer V. S. Goela. Each artist will participate in a short seven-to-nine-day deployment with members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).

This Group of outstanding artists was selected by Diane Bond of the Canada Council for the Arts, Stacey Barker from the Canadian War Museum, Jonathan Shaughnessy from the National Gallery of Canada, Laura Brown from Library and Archives Canada, and CFAP artist alum Adrian Stimson. The Selection Committee met January 17, 2024, and chose these five artists from the competitive 46 applications received. The artists selected are recognized Canadian artists and demonstrate a clear vision for their deployments and a curiosity and respect for the CAF. The Selection Committee as well as the Directorate of History and Heritage look forward to the work that will be produced by these very insightful artists.

The CFAP began in 2001 with General Maurice Baril, Chief of the Defence Staff, who wanted to see professional civilian artists have access to the CAF so that they could make visible to Canadians the activities of the military. Since its inception, CFAP has seen nine groups of artists through selection, deployment, and exhibition, and anticipates the finished work of Group 10 in late 2025.

Currently, the work of Group 9 artists’ is on display at the Canadian War Museum, whose show opened November 2, 2023, and was scheduled to end March 17, 2024. Due to its popularity, the Canadian War Museum extended the exhibition until September 2, 2024! Congratulations to Group 9 artists Jean-Pierre Aubé, Alana Bartol, Olivia Rozema and Jessica Lynn Wiebe for your remarkable work.

Furthermore, the value of the intersection between artist and the CAF is evident in the current temporary exhibition, Outside the Lines, at the Canadian War Museum where four artists who have participated in CFAP are currently included in this remarkable show of women artists and war art: Gertrude Kearns (Group 2), Karen Bailey (Group 3), Rosalie Favell (Group 8), and Jessica Lynn Wiebe (Group 9). The show also features the portrait of our new Chief of the Defence Staff General M.A.J. Carignan painted by Gertrude Kearns.

It is evident that there is value in professional artists reflecting CAF activity in their work. The art produced acts as a record of the moments in time individuals serve in the CAF and as commentary of the impact of CAF taskings and operations. They provide both Canadian and international audiences the privilege to witness what they otherwise do not have access to. It is also interesting to see the impact participating in CFAP has on the artists who are selected. We wish our new Group 11 luck as they anticipate their deployments and look forward to experiencing the CAF through their artistic lens!

If you are interested in the opportunity to host an artist on deployment, please reach out to the CFAP Program Manager: alison.campbell@forces.gc.ca.