Artist Talk with Johnathan Onyschuk

Join Johnathan Onyschuk for an insightful look into the ideas and processes behind his Project Space exhibition, Old Growth. This talk explores the recurring image of the human face emerging from plant life and wood, drawing from anonymous folk art “spirit carvings.” Onyschuk discusses how he combines found sculptures into intricate basswood reliefs where individual faces merge into dense, shifting forms. The conversation will share insight into the relationship between historical carving traditions, collective memory, and the enduring human impulse to find ourselves reflected in the natural world. Onyschuk is a settler based on Treaty 7 territory, currently the Sculpture Facilitator at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. His practice draws from mass culture, history, and speculative futures, often focusing on the material and psychological impacts of resource extraction. 📍 Esker Foundation