POLLY POLLET, THE ART OF THE PEN
ABOUT
Through her artwork, Polly Pollet (°1993) evokes a personal view on reality that confronts us with ourselves in relation to the Other. The world is her canvas and the BIC-pen her principal technique.
As a storyteller she explores the human condition by aesthetically dissecting topics such as sexuality and intimacy, individuality and identity, privacy, taboo and connectivity. With the mind of a researcher she critically analyses the societal phenomena that emerge out of our contemporary hyper digitalized era.
Not seldom she arrives at certain paradoxes and ambiguity in apparent evidence. With social media as a parallel virtual universe, she transforms herself into a mediator connecting people through her drawings.
Her sketch book is her closest friend along the way. Besides a BIC-pen, Pollet also uses ecoline, oil and acryl paint to give her images more agility and dynamism. The medium more or less chooses her. Sometimes she adds an extra color or let images guide her which results in a mixed media work or collage.
As a world citizen, she hereby embraces the infinite possibilities that come her way, subtly expressing social criticism through her art works. The result is an already impressive body of work best described as positively provocative, challenging the audience in a bold and playful way to think about today’s complex and often uncomfortable issues. As a viewer you are often left with yourself.
EXHIBITIONS
SOLO
2023
'POLLY EXPRESS', Indiandribble, Brussels, Belgium
2022
Featured artist at Affordable Art Fair, Tour & Taxis, Brussels
2019
Polly Pollet, Foorumi, Knokke-Le-Zoute, Belgium
Bruxsel Project with THE SKATEROOM x Polly Pollet, Brussels, Belgium
ART RESIDENCIES
2019
Artist in residence at the Cultural Centre 'De Steiger', Menen
GROUP SHOWS
2022
'Ékstasis' at Shame Gallery, Sablon, Brussels, Belgium
2022
'HANDS UP', Beursschouwburg, Brussels
2021
'F*CK YOU', Kunstenhuis Harelbeke, curated by Klaus Verscheure, Belgium
2021
'End of summer', Foorumi, Knokke-Le-Zoute, Belgium
2021
'Art United at Fire is Gold festival / Ampere open air', Curated by S.M.A.K, Belgium
2021
'Masters versus upcoming talents' , Foorumi, Knokke-Le-Zoute, Belgium
2020
2020
French Fries, Brooklyn, USA
2019
New Horizon, Foorumi, Knokke-Le-Zoute, Belgium
2019
Desolation Nation - As They Grow Roots, Destelheide, Belgium
2019
Erotica, Felippo Ioco Gallery, Barcelona, Spain
2019
European Custom Board Collective Show #2, Bordeaux, France
2019
GEBROED!, Cultural Centre 'De Steiger', Menen, Belgium
2019
'BE...' - Querencia Studio, Brooklyn, USA
2018
'Handen', Het Hofke, Turnhout, Belgium
2018
Loes Koster Gallery, Groningen, The Netherlands
2018
'Neon Butthole Tattoo Parlor' in collaboration with Porous Walker and team in the studio of Tom Sachs, New York, USA
2018
'This is not a ... ', Ghost Gallery, Brooklyn, USA
2017
'Room With A View' at FOORUMI #129, Knokke, Belgium
2017
MAGMA, Berlin, Germany
2017
No name, collaboration with Porous Walker, One Grant Gallery, Portland, USA
2017
Life Drawing at the European Commision, Brussels, Belgium
2016
'Sorry, not sorry' Street art festival, Ghent, Belgium
2016
Campo Victoria, Ghent, Belgium
FEATURED ON
Fifty years ago, the first Belgian Women's Day was born. In honour of that festive edition, on 11 November, Knack Weekend selected 50 young Belgian women who, each in their field, are doing important work. Today: 12 female artists, fashion designers, photographers, designers and chefs to follow.
An average day in the life of an artist, what does it look like? What does he or she do, think, see? We catch a glimpse through well-aimed questions. This time: Polly Pollet (...)An average day in the life of an artist, what does it look like? What does he or she do, think, see? We catch a glimpse through well-aimed questions. This time: Polly Pollet (...)
(...) Polly Pollet is 25 and shares many of Klein's traits as a young artist. Not only an unbridled imagination, but also the blue. Using blue ink to paint her sounds, the BIC biros is her first instrument. For her, the first drawn middle finger literally marked the start of an unlikely adventure towards the United States. (...)