{"id":58175,"date":"2026-06-19T15:25:45","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T19:25:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/artoronto.ca\/?p=58175"},"modified":"2026-06-19T15:31:32","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T19:31:32","slug":"the-military-portraiture-at-the-royal-canadian-military-institute-of-gertrude-kearns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artoronto.ca\/?p=58175","title":{"rendered":"The Military Portraiture by Gertrude Kearns at RCMI"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Military Portraiture at the Royal Canadian Military Institute of Gertrude Kearns<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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Gertrude Kearns in her studio by Joseph Hartman \u2013 showing works in the current body of work at RCMI<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have never been to the Royal Canadian Military Institute on University Avenue in Toronto, you must visit and take in the phenomenal exhibition by Canada\u2019s foremost contemporary war artist, Gertrude Kearns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This exhibition, straight from showing at the Embassy of Canada in Washington DC, is a selection from two decades of work 2006-2025. Drawings, paintings, text\/image prints as \u2018propaganda-play posters\u2019 capture the humanity and courage behind Canadian Armed Forces individuals who have commanded and form the military.<\/p>\n\n\n

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General Wayne Eyre 2025, Chief of the Defence Staff, Feb 2021 \u2013 June 2024, acrylic on canvas, 54 x 42 inches<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kearns\u2019 interest in conflict work began thirty years ago. Since then, she has worked diligently, both officially and as an independent artist. What began as a curiosity about Canadian defence progressed into years of research into Canadian Armed Forces missions. As a result, valuable contacts and relationships were steadily built on trust and respect with each sitter. Her artistic skill captures the essence of these dedicated individuals. We see pride, honour, strength and sometimes weakness, even the anti-hero in these faces. How much decision-making, questions about morality, emotional conflict and physical hardship, PTSD, have these soldiers experienced? Who are these individuals that have given of themselves so selflessly? What have they seen and lived through?  What is their message? Is there one?<\/p>\n\n\n

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Just Doing It (Major-General J Carignan), 2020, Chief of the Defence Staff, Archival pigment print on Kodak Professional Inkjet Gloss Paper with matte film, 60 x 44 inches <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Gulf War of 1990-91 initially stirred Kearns\u2019 interest in conflict work. From there she began to examine the Yugoslav Wars of 1991-99, considering the pressures on society and ethnic cleansing. The inability of UN peacekeepers to prevent the Rwandan Genocide in 1994 and the impact of that failure created a series of haunting work featuring Canada\u2019s General, Romeo Dallaire in 2001-2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a war\/military artist, this journey led to Kearns\u2019 admission to a training exercise at Petawawa, Ontario in 2004. Later on, she was given the opportunity of real-life experiences, embedded in Afghanistan in 2006. It was during this time, about to travel in an armoured vehicle preparing to leave Kandahar City, a suicide bomber struck the convoy ahead.\u00a0 Among the ten wounded were three Canadian soldiers. A diplomat and two other civilians were killed. After the wounded soldiers were brought back to base, Kearns helped clean the infirmary. Needless to say, this experience affected Kearns profoundly.<\/p>\n\n\n

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O URGENT SEAS (Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee), 2025, Commander, Royal Canadian Navy, Archival pigment print on Kodak Professional Inkjet Gloss Paper with matte film, 66 x 46.5 inches<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She has worked steadily and tirelessly producing work, giving us a glimpse into a world that many of us will never see or experience. Luckily, we are safe and sound. Concluding with more recent counterterrorism, sovereignty and global security works, Kearns poignantly reminds us that war is never really that far away.<\/p>\n\n\n

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SAVED:FOR WHAT?, 2011, Unidentified coalition SOF, Afghanistan, Archival pigment print on Hahnemuhle ultra smooth paper, 60 x 40 inches<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jennifer Leskiw<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*The Royal Canadian Military Institute is not open to the public, but Sunday afternoon tours of the exhibition led by Kearns herself, RCMI Honorary War Artist will take place on June 21st, and 28th; July 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th. There is also a tour on Sunday, August 2, 2026, the last day of the show. Address: 426 University Avenue, just south of Dundas, and the TTC St Patrick subway station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Confirm tour availability: RCMI (416) 597-0286, or contact Gertrude Kearns directly at contact@gertrudekearnsartist.com. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Jennifer Leskiw<\/strong>
\nKearns capture the humanity and courage of the individuals in the Canadian Armed Forces<\/p>\n

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