Bret Polok is an urban-pop artist and digital art printmaker based in Perth, known for his vibrant screen-printed pop art and innovative street art. His work blends street, suburban, and popular culture, showcasing a variety of eye-catching styles that engage the viewer.
Recently, Bret has embraced mixed media techniques on canvas and paper, creating artworks that truly captivate. He artfully incorporates authentic posters torn from walls and billboards, turning discarded materials into unique backgrounds. Over this, he creates edgy street art portraits using his digital design skills, printing them out and layering them onto the surface. As a final touch he adds colourful acrylic splashes, spray paint, and multiple layers of high gloss sealant, infusing life and vibrancy into every creation. His art effortlessly transitions from the streets to your home, bringing a vibrant and contemporary touch to any space.
Bret's artistic journey began in his teenage years, inspired by the original pop artists of the 60s and 70's, and psychedelic album covers of iconic bands.
Although he studied fine arts at university, he is largely self taught. His true education came from his adventurous spirit, which led him through years of travel and numerous jobs, enriching his experiences and broadened his artistic perspective.
In 80s Sydney, Bret honed his screen printing skills working for rock band T-shirt companies and printing for early Mambo. After developing his own printing designs he started freelancing to fashion labels, selling printed fabric. During the dynamic 1980s his passion for art and design grew, fuelled by the New Wave movement, Neo Expressionism and the New York street art scene.
Bret returned to Perth and co-founded Eldorado Designs, a popular hip streetwear brand that thrived in the lively inner-city King Street for a decade. He then relocated to the scenic southwest wine region and resumed painting and exhibiting again. After a few years and in a leap of faith, Bret's adventurous spirit led him to Bali, where he worked for several years as a mosaic flooring designer for an international company. He began experimenting with screen-printed pop art on canvas, leading to success in local galleries. After his art started attracting international attention, he opened his own gallery in Bali, connecting with clients around the world and exhibiting in galleries in Europe, Asia and the USA.
After fifteen colourful years in Bali, Bret returned to Perth with his family and settled in a quiet coastal town. Here he continues to create captivating street style collages and digital art prints, drawing on his unique experiences and influences.
"I make an attempt to show the human condition with its foibles and follies, its madness and beauty; its shifting values mirrored and plotted for us by advertising in this diet fad, Facebook mad, Twitter tweet, consumer au go-go, wonderfully wobbly world… "