Kitchener - From September 18 through October 4, the Contemporary Art Forum of Kitchener and Area will present its 7th invitational exhibition of contemporary visual art in public spaces. CAFKA is dedicated to encouraging innovative artistic projects and interactive programming, bringing cutting-edge works of art out of galleries and studios and placing them in public spaces where art can stimulate new experiences, perceptions and discussions among the general public.

The event will feature work by David Atkinson & James Nye (Kitchener), David Diviney (Halifax, NS), Graffiti Research Lab (London UK/Hong Kong), Luke Hart (London, UK), Robert Hengeveld (Toronto), Marla Hlady (Toronto), David Hoffos (Lethbridge, AB), Andrew Hunter (Dundas, ON), Iga Janik (Peterborough, ON), Janice Kerbel (London, UK), Don Maynard (Kingston, ON), Jihee Min (St. Bruno, QC), D. Bradley Muir (Victoria, BC), Mariele Neudecker (Bristol, UK), Susy Oliveira (Toronto), June Pak (Toronto), Roula Partheniou (Toronto), Gilbert Poissant (St. Hilaire, QC), Pipilotti Rist (Zurich, CH), Stefan Rose (Waterloo), Isabella Stefanescu, Carlito Ghioni & Klaus Engel (Waterloo), Max Streicher (Toronto), Fujiwara Takahiro (Tokyo), Brandon Vickerd (Toronto), Kate Wilson (Toronto)

From its beginnings as a local annual weekend festival, to its present two-week, international invitational biennial format, CAFKA has gradually expanded in size and scope. Since 2001, CAFKA has been exhibiting contemporary artists from across Canada and from around the globe.

The 2009 edition of CAFKA will focus on the concept of “Veracity.” CAFKA asked artists to consider “veracity” as a concept in the materials of art making, in the thematic and conceptual concerns of their practice, or to consider the scientific, artistic, political, religious, historical, or experimental implications of truth and uncertainty in art.

Installations will take place at a variety of sites around the region. Exhibition partners this year will be Cambridge Galleries, the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery, the Critical Media Lab of the University of Waterloo, the Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery, and the Robert Langen Gallery at Wilfred Laurier University among others.

CAFKA.09: Veracity is, with the Impact Theatre Festival and Open Ears Festival of Music and Sound, part of 2009 Year of Art Festivals in Waterloo Region and is a partner in the Waterloo Region: Arts Together: Creative Intersections initiative. CAFKA gratefully acknowledges the support of Christie Digital, the Musagetes Foundation, the City of Kitchener, the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund, the Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation, the Ontario Arts Council, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Region of Waterloo Arts Fund and the City of Waterloo.