Transformation, pain, support, empathy, misunderstanding, isolation: these are just a few of the many aspects of human existence that appear in Gaya Lastovjak's art. Through her work, the artist engages in a profound dialogue with issues related to human behavior and emotions, exploring their complexity and the individual's position in today’s world. She draws inspiration from a keen observation of people and personal experiences, which imbues each piece with significant symbolic weight. Her focus lies on the essence of humanity and the individual’s standing, highlighting both the good and bad sides of human nature. Her primary tool of expression is body language – the gestures and poses of her figures, though static and seemingly frozen in time, carry a powerful emotional charge regarding empathy, struggle, civilizational challenges, and existential anxiety.

As an artist, I am fascinated by existential mechanisms and emotions—from struggle and fear to freedom and eroticism—as they enter into a dynamic dialogue with history, society, and individuality.

In her artistic endeavors, Lastovjak also examines contemporary global phenomena. Her works are deeply rooted in philosophical anthropology and psychology, focusing on the existential essence of humanity and its position in the world. She analyzes the complexity of the human mind, as well as how individuals cope with various life situations. Gaya’s body of work presents a variety of styles – from her main figurative pieces to geometric and minimalist forms, all maintained in a single signature convention. For her, art should serve as a voice in significant conversations, offering viewers a space for reflection on the human experience and the world around them.

Through specific content, I want to draw the viewers attention to the world around them, to stop, look at themselves and consider what kind of person they are.

Gaya Lastovjak has developed her own unique technique for creating three-dimensional artworks that blur the boundaries between painting and sculpture. In her works, she combines traditional canvas and oil paints with papier-mâché, which she hand-forms into convex shapes (reliefs). To enrich the meaning of her pieces and give them a raw texture, the artist regularly introduces new elements such as rope, moss, hair, or metal mesh. A characteristic element of her style is the conscious departure from the traditional color palette in favor of white. This allows for the perfect accentuation of the play of light and shadow, which changes depending on the time of day – much like human moods can be variable.

Publications & Interviews

The paintings of Gaya Lastovjak are quiet whispers of deep realities, where the refined brightness of paint reduces the heaviness of the human condition, expressed by the frozen poses of her characters. They are essentially a critical language of non-violence. The firmness of her message, reflected in the fragile elegance of the overall composition shows a particular sort of aesthetics that goes beyond any type of standard classification.

Ana Malnar, Paris the Other Way, Paris, France

The artist's work regularly appears in international publications dedicated to art and culture. Reproductions of her pieces have been shown in magazines such as the American Photographize Arts Culture Magazine, Portuguese Suboart, British Marvelous Art, and Dutch Curatory. Her works have twice been selected for cover features: for the New York-based literary and fine arts journal The Woven Tale Press, and for the Indian Art Sloth Magazine. Beyond visual presentation, Gaya Lastovjak is invited to share her reflections on the philosophical foundations of her art in media across Poland, France, and Italy, as well as on international platforms such as Turkey's Gazete Sanat World and Independent Arabia.

Exhibitions & Art Fairs

Gaya Lastovjak’s works are presented in galleries and exhibition spaces both in Poland and worldwide. The artist has participated in important events such as the 14th Florence Biennale and the 59th Venice Art Biennale (Musa Pavilion). Her art has been presented during the 8th edition of Rome Art Week (RAW) at the Palazzo della Cancelleria Vaticana, at the Venanzo Crocetti Museum in Rome, or at the Monat and Van Gogh galleries in Madrid. She has also appeared at art fairs in Monaco and The Other Art Fair by Saatchi Art. In Poland, she actively participates in major sculpture and contemporary art events, including the Warsaw Art Fair and the LABO Biennale. An accompanying photo gallery illustrates selected exhibitions, emphasizing the interaction of her three-dimensional works with the gallery space and light.

Gaya Lastovjak’s works are characterized by surprising lightness combined with durability. Thanks to her signature technique of combining papier-mâché with newsprint and wood glue, her objects typically weigh between 2 and 10 kilograms. The artist attaches great importance to logistics: each work is secured in a custom-built, solid wooden crate. This guarantees safe transport to collectors and galleries anywhere in the world. Due to the complexity of the creative process and attention to detail, work on a single object takes from several months to a year. As a result, only 6 to 10 unique works are created annually, which gives her art a collectible character.

International Art Awards

Gaya Lastovjak is an award-winning artist whose works resonate within the global contemporary art discourse. She has secured first-place honors from the American Art Awards (USA), the Teravarna Gallery Artist Grant (USA), and The Fusion Art Gallery (Spain). Her technique and perspective also earned her second place at the 12th edition of the Boynes Artist Award in Australia, the Global Painting Conclave in Canada, and the Art Tour International Masters in the USA. These podium placements are complemented by high rankings in competitions at Light Space & Time Gallery and ArtisTTable Gallery, as well as the "Artist of the Month" recognition from Camelback Gallery. Since 2021, the artist has won 37 international awards and 8 nominations.

For Gaya Lastovjak, creativity is a form of dialogue and a voice in important conversations about the human condition. The goal of her art is not to moralize, but to show the light and dark traits of human behavior, leaving the viewer space for their own choice and a look at themselves from a new perspective. An expression of recognition for her artistic path was the inclusion of her name in the artist catalogue of the Centre of Polish Sculpture in Orońsko at the beginning of 2025. Presence in the resources of such a prestigious institution is a confirmation of high artistic quality and the artist's significant place in contemporary Polish sculpture.