ABC - Deception by Design (2015)

Artists and the military might seem strange bedfellows, but painters, sculptors, photographers and set designers have played a critical but little-known role in modern warfare. This definitive documentary on the history of camouflage uncovers a world of design, where cubism, cuttlefish and warships collide. From the evolution of camouflage in the wild, through to WW2 and the eccentric Dazzle ships and now the modern technological developments and creation of invisibility cloaks. This documentary tells the story of deception, perception, competition, and evolution, and reveals that despite our incredible design attempts, we are still no match for nature. Through rarely seen archive, interviews with leading experts and arresting visual graphics, DECEPTION BY DESIGN reveals the untold story of how artists were recruited by the military to fool the enemy in modern warfare. Despite resistance and often ridicule, artists were recruited in both the first and second world wars to devise ways to protect troops and deceive the enemy by using their intimate knowledge of perspective, illusion, shadow and movement. DECEPTION BY DESIGN will take you on a journey into the secret world of camouflage design. We discover intrigue and deception through unique access to today's leading camouflage experts. They shed new light on a dazzling cast of camoufleur masterminds like Picasso, Norman Wilkinson, and Australia's own Max Dupain. Warfare, art, and nature unite in the race to a future where invisibility becomes a reality.

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