Sam Planetta - Wycinaki Artist

Montreal, Canada

“I’m Sam Planetta (they/them). I’ve lived in Tiotiàke/Montreal since 2007. I’m originally from a small town in Nova Scotia, where I grew up as the only goth in a small Polish and Ukrainian steelworker neighbourhood. In addition to being an artist, I’m a queer trauma survivor. Punk has been a big part of my identity since I was a kid. Probably—for better or worse—because of my obsession with resourcefulness, authenticity, brutal truth, vanity, music, and the triumphant underdog.

I make wycinanki (vee.chaw.non.kee): a type of Eastern European folk art. I primarily use a style originally from Łowicz, Poland. Each piece is entirely made of hand-cut and layered paper (traditionally peasants used sheep shears!). I picked this medium because it’s pretty and accessible. No MFA required to appreciate. I first spent time with traditional motifs, to honor the craft. I now make scenes depicting my own life and loves.”