Sunchoke is an exhibition of new work by Jay Isaac, on view at Paul Petro Contemporary Art from March 27 to April 25, 2026, in Toronto’s West Queen West neighbourhood.
Jay Isaac is known for a multidisciplinary practice that moves fluidly between sculpture, assemblage, drawing, installation, and material experimentation. His work often begins with found or repurposed objects, which he transforms through layering, alteration, and subtle acts of construction. These materials carry traces of previous use, allowing Isaac to explore themes of memory, labour, fragility, and renewal.
The exhibition title Sunchoke references a plant that grows underground and re-emerges season after season, often unexpectedly. This idea of hidden systems, resilience, and cyclical transformation resonates strongly with Isaac’s practice, which frequently engages processes of decay, repair, and reassembly. His work resists permanence, instead embracing instability and change as essential creative forces.
Isaac has exhibited widely across Canada and internationally, with solo and group exhibitions at major institutions and artist-run centres. He is a past recipient of the Sobey Art Award and has presented work at venues including the Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, The National Gallery of Canada, and numerous international exhibitions. His work is included in public and private collections across North America.
Sunchoke continues Isaac’s ongoing investigation into how objects, materials, and environments carry meaning through time, offering a quietly charged and tactile exhibition that invites close looking.
Dates: March 27 – April 25, 2026
Location: Paul Petro Contemporary Art, 980 Queen Street West, Toronto
Gallery Hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 11 am – 5 pm, or by appointment
