Gaston Lisak: Cultural Artifacts Playfully Reimagined

Gaston’s work takes the everyday and flips it on its head. He works with objects most of us don’t think twice about—things like plastic bags, bottle openers, and discarded sculptures—and turns them into something you can’t ignore. His focus is on storytelling, using the stuff we surround ourselves with to hold up a mirror to our culture.

For Gaston, the process starts with finding the right objects. He’s a regular at second-hand markets, tag sales, and even the occasional dumpster dive. To him, these objects are pieces of modern archaeology. Once he’s gathered his objects, he transforms them, encasing them in plastic or resin, layering colors, and manipulating textures until the familiar becomes something entirely different.

Take his obsession with plastic. For most people, it’s trash. For Gaston, it’s a resource. He sees plastic as one of the defining materials of our time, both loved and loathed. It’s everywhere and, like it or not, it’s not going away anytime soon. By melting, molding, and layering it, he gives it a new life. The result is often confusing in the best way—you’re left wondering if what you’re looking at is real, digital, or some strange hybrid of the two.

Gaston’s “time capsules” are a good example of how he plays with meaning. He’ll take objects—sometimes sentimental, sometimes banal—and encase them in layers of plastic. These pieces feel like artifacts, freezing a specific moment in time. They’re loaded with subtle commentary: what do the things we throw away say about us? And how much of our identity is wrapped up in the stuff we buy?

Branding and logos also pop up in Gaston’s work, but not in a lazy, ironic way. He uses them as cultural markers. A logo on a plastic bag or a fragment of a recognizable brand becomes a symbol of how deeply these things are embedded in our lives. Gaston turns these symbols into something worth looking at, and in doing so, makes us question their meaning.

What makes his work stand out is how approachable it is. His humor keeps things grounded. The stories behind his pieces are often as interesting as the art itself. Like the time he followed a guy on the subway to ask for his plastic bag—it’s absurd, but it speaks to his commitment to capturing the details most people overlook.

Gaston’s installations take everything a step further. Whether it’s a two-meter-tall totem or a wall covered in abstract patterns, his pieces are immersive. They invite you to spend time with them, to notice details you might have missed at first glance. The textures, colors, and materials all work together to create something that feels both contemporary and timeless.

Ultimately, Gaston’s work isn’t about creating answers; it’s about raising questions. What do our objects say about us? How do we assign value to things? Why do some materials, like plastic, feel so disposable while others are seen as precious?

Gaston has a knack for taking what’s ordinary and making it extraordinary without overcomplicating it. He works with what’s already there, finding beauty in places most people wouldn’t even think to look. His art is bold, funny, and thoughtful—and it never takes itself too seriously. That balance is what makes it worth paying attention to.