Plastic People

Plastic People is a photographic artwork inspired by the spirit of The Plastic People of the Universe, the legendary Czech underground band whose uncompromising creativity became a symbol of cultural freedom. Created from a temporary installation of translucent sweets arranged on a plate, the work uses sunlight, shadow, and transparency to transform everyday materials into luminous human-like forms.

'Plastic People' by Lukas Kroulik, 2026

The title also draws a deliberate contrast between past and present. The original “Plastic People” was harsh, confrontational music that protested against a Communist regime which sought to mould individuals into compliant, interchangeable objects.

Today, the pressures are different and often disguised beneath comfort, convenience, and consumer culture, yet they can be equally powerful in encouraging conformity. The sweetness of the materials used in the artwork reflects this shift: what was once an overt system of control has, in many ways, been replaced by subtler forces that can still turn people into “plastic” versions of themselves.

'Plastic People' by Lukas Kroulik, 2026 - "Nothing in this work is quite what it first appears to be: sweets become people, waste becomes fabric, light becomes substance, and a plate becomes a stage."

The photograph is printed on fabric made from recycled plastic bottles, allowing light to pass through the image and reinforcing its connection to transformation, sustainability, and renewal. Presented in a circular embroidery hoop, the piece references both the original plate and the handmade traditions of textile craft. By reimagining “plastic people” through recycled materials, fleeting light, and contemporary consumer materials, the work invites viewers to reconsider waste, value, individuality, and the creative potential hidden within the materials we often discard.