ART BY CASSANDRA VAN B.
If the Walls Could Talk
March - April 2026
“If the walls could talk, what would they tell you?” This is the question printmaking artist Cassandra Van Buekenhout has asked herself while exploringabandoned and derelict buildings across the Saskatchewan Prairies. Her fascination with these forgotten spaces is deeply personal, shaped by the storytelling of her grandfather, whose vivid tales of the past ignited her curiosity of memory, history, and place.
In the summer of 2025, Cassandra endured the profound heartbreak of losing her grandfather. Faced with the reality that she would never hear him share his stories or reflect on his legacy; she turned to the spaces he once inhabited. She uncovered fragments of life and memory that linger long after someone is gone, inspiring If These Walls Could Talk, a tribute to a passed generation and a way to give voice to memories that can no longer be spoken.
Through bold, linear printmaking, Cassandra transforms her documentation of abandoned spaces into visual narratives that celebrate the beauty of “forgotten” history. Rather than seeing these places as valueless, she asks us to pause and consider the stories, memories, and echoes of life embedded within their walls. Each print is an act of preservation and an invitation to shift perspective.
If These Walls Could Talk serves as both as a personal tribute to her grandfather and a mindful awareness on how we honour the lives, stories, and legacies that quietly exist all around us.
Chasing Yesterday
March 2024
Chasing Yesterday is a series of two- and three-dimensional artworks that showcase her fascination, passion, and enthusiasm she has for creating artwork influenced by history and more specifically her grandparent’s life stories. For as long as she can remember, she has always had an immense curiosity to learn about and to understand what her grandparent’s upbringing was like.
“Each piece in this exhibition I hold dear to my heart. I not only created these works to symbolize and honour my grandparents’ stories, but also created them with the hope that it would inspire conversation and remind the viewer of their own grandparents and family stories.”
This exhibition represents my long-lasting bond with my grandparents, that only grew after their passing. I embrace their stories and upbringing through these pieces. I want this exhibition to remind us all that even though our ancestors’ lifestyles were humble and we have come a long way we should never forget our common ground - where we came from and how it all began.
