About Ton Pret - The artist

Danubiana Meulensteen art museum in bratislava: Sometimes Dreams come true

Sometimes dreams come true. Artist Ton Pret will have a great exhibition at the wonderful Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum in Bratislava (SK), during the celebration of 25 years Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum, 17-06-2025/24-08-2025. On August 23 there will be a great finissage. View Ton Pret exhibition Danubiana Museum

Ton Pret transformed the famous painting “Girl with the pearl earrings”, painted by great master Johannes Vermeer, into his reality of fantasy. From 28-02-2025 his transformation can be viewed for about at least 2 months in the Dutch museum Mauritshuis.

Another dream came true in 2024: my art on the double cover of the iconic Ferrari Cavallino Magazine, with a 25 pages interview inside. The Ton Pret Ferrari Art Car goes America.

And more to come

Danubiana museum
Ton Pret on cover Ferrari Cavallino Magazine
Ton Pret style : colorful realism of a different reality!
Ton Pret

Ton Pret artist bio 2025 

Ton Pret is a Dutch self-taught artist, who does not follow the masses and is not guided by styles or trends, but simply follows his own course and this results in his colorful and unique style: The Pret Style! Ton translates the reality of everyday life into the reality of his inexhaustible imagination and does this with great passion, which you can feel by seeing.

Ton also believes that his art should be accessible and understandable to everyone, whereby it should stimulate people’s imagination. Everyone can and may see something different in it. In this way, both light-hearted subjects and heavy subjects are translated into something that everyone can understand.

Ton does not limit himself to just paintings, but has also transformed various special objects by hand into art objects, such as the Ton Pret Ferrari Art Car that is now driving around in New York, but also various art shoes and bags, such as the Louis Vuitton art bag and also design, which was even on display during the Milan Design Week and in the Triennale di Milano Design Museum.

Ton’s work has also been on display in various other museums such as the Louvre, Museum de Kunsthal, the Dutch Shoe Museum and in 2025 a major exhibition will be added to the Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum in Bratislava (SK). But there is a lot more to explore about Ton Pret.

Ton Pret artist CV 2025
“Dare to be different”

In 2005, at the age of 46, Ton decided to follow his dream. As a partner in a successful insurance company, he left the company and said “I’m going to be an artist”. Everyone thought he had gone crazy, only his wife said “follow your dream” and that was enough for Ton. Ton also said “I’d rather it failed than not try”.

As mentioned in the bio, Ton did not attend an art academy, but is self-taught. In fact, as a child he was already fanatically busy drawing and coloring his fantasies, but his artistic creations were not appreciated at school. How special that his work is now highly appreciated, enjoyed and embraced by collectors and even museums.

People try to name his style and often end up with the well-known COBRA art style, by famous artists such as Karel Appel and Corneille. Erik Hermida, an influential man in the world of art, calls Ton a “new exponent of COBRA”.  A major Dutch collector -Gerard Meulensteen-
calls Ton his work “COBRA of the 21st century and a major Slovak collector –Ivan Melichercik- samples Ton his work as “New COBRA”. Ton himself says always “I am a realistic artist, but from another reality” and I just follow my “Pret Style”.

Ton quickly became well-known in the world of art and his work was exhibited in the famous Amsterdam Beurs van Berlage, the Fortezza da Basso in Florence, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the Louvre in Paris, the Kunsthal in Rotterdam, the Triennale di Milano Design Museum, the Super Studio of the Milan Design Week, the Moscow Design Week, the Shenzhen Design Week, the Amsterdam Museum of Bags and Purses, the Dutch Shoe Museum in Waalwijk, the Mauritshuis Museum in The Hague and in 2025 a great exhibition in the wonderful Danubiana Meulensteen Art
Museum in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Not only art lovers appreciate his work, but also big names from the design world are fans of his designs. Such as the famous Italian designers and architects Alessandro Mendini (RIP) and Alessandro Guerriero, both well known from the world-famous Studio Alchimia. Alessandro Guerriero has become a dear friend, with whom Ton collaborates now and in future. In addition to the paintings and design, Ton has also transformed everyday objects into works of art. A small list: high heels for the Paris catwalk, All Stars sneakers, Louis Vuitton art bag, Michael Kors art bag, shoes for Jonnie Boer 3 Michelin stars chef De Librije, Greve shoes, Van den Assem bags and shoes, art edition bicycles, skate boards, Nike art balls, jeans, vases, sunglasses, bathtubs, tables, chairs, watches, a Fendor Stratocaster guitar for the famous French artist Jean Pierre Danel and much more.

Also a very special work of art created by Ton, is the famous “Ton Pret Ferrari Art Car”. Commissioned by a collector, Ton hand-painted a Ferrari 355 GTS (no wrapping) and transformed it into the fastest work of art in the Netherlands and this art car is now driving around in New York. The famous Ferrari magazine “Cavallino Magazine” wrote a 25-page article about Ton’s art and the Ferrari, in which they also placed this car among Art Cars of celebrities such as Andy Warhol and Keith Haring.

Ton’s work has been featured in many other publications such as: the dutch Financieel Dagblad, the Algemeen Dagblad, the Holland Herald KLM, The National, the largest English newspaper in the United Arabic Emirates/Abu Dhabi/Dubai, various foreign art books, various Dutch newspapers, J en T Magazine De Librije, Qualis magazine, Runway Magazine Paris, TAGS magazine Italy, Vedere Magazine, Landlife magazine, Gulf Magazine, FFDesigner Magazine, AM magazine, Churn Magazine USA, Pravda Magazine and newspaper, Zorana Creative Room 4 talk, Haagse Kunstkalender and many more.

Ton only makes art that he likes himself and hopes that the people will like it too, but you can’t please everyone. An important quote from him is: “if I
had to make a painting that everyone likes, I wouldn’t be able to make one painting, but if I had to make a painting that I like, I can make millions”. 

PS. Are you interested in Ton’s paintings, art objects, design or work in commission? Don’t hesitate and feel free to ask for prices, sizes or more information. He won’t bite 😉

Two exhibitions during the LUCI D'ARTISTA SALERNO, ITALY 2019/2020

Ton Pret artist highlights

Gerard Meulensteen with the painting "Follow your dream"

Ton Pret has made an unique painting in commission, for the permanent collection of the prestigious Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum in Bratislava, Slovakia. During the 25 years celebrating of the Danubiana Museum, Ton Pret will have an exhibition with about 20 of his paintings from 17-06-2025 / 24-08-2025. On August 23 there will be a great finissage.

Photo: Gerard Meulensteen, founder of the Danubiana museum, with the painting “Follow your dream”

Double exhibition Ton Pret in Salerno

During the “LUCI D’ARTISTA 2019/2020”, a great event with more than 2 million visitors. The exhibitions will take place from November 28 till December 30 at the famous Teatro Delle Arti and beautiful Villa Cararra.

The exhibitions are organized by the city of Salerno with art director Antonio Perotti.

Exhibition la triennale di Milano 2018

The world-famous designer Alessandro Guerriero – founder of the Milan design avandgarde Alchemia – asked Ton Pret to make a design of the human being. Ton has opted for “power through simplicity” and used waste materials such as wood, metal and old construction toys. They found the result so successful in Milan that Ton was asked to included his design in the exhibition of the impressive “La Triennale di Milano”, the design museum of Italy.

Ton’s design stands between the designs of great designers such as Alessandro Guerriero, Alessandro Mendini, Michelle de Lucchi, Antonio Perotti and many other designers with a great track record. It is understandable that Ton is very honored and super happy. On photo 1 Alessandro Guerriero with the design and on photo 2 Ton himself with his creation.

Spoleto Art Festival award 2017

From 22-09-2017 until 25-09-2017, the famous Spoleto Art Festival occurred in the beautiful, cultural, Italian city of Spoleto. Next to his exhibition, artist Ton Pret is awarded, at this grand art festival, with an international award.

Ton Pret is very honored, but is also very honored that the organization chose to use his painting on posters, bills and catalog.

Ton Pret exhibition: Pop Art Sylt

An exhibition “POP ART SYLT”, which is held on the beautiful German island of Sylt; also known as the Hamptons of Germany. The major part of the “Neue Bootshalle” will be filled with the artwork of Ton Pret.

 

From June 14 / June 29 2017
Neue Bootshalle, Am Hafen, List auf Sylt info :
https://www.vanlit-diluca.com

More news about Ton Pret

Danubiana museum and museum Jan visit Ton Pret Art studio

Danubiana museum and museum Jan visit Ton Pret Art studio

I was very honored and happy that Gerard Meulensteen of the Danubiana Meulensteen Art museum in Bratislava, his new advisor Eric Verhagen and the great artists Jan Verschoor and Rob Brünnmayer, founders of Museum JAN in Amstelveen, visited my art studio. Talking about art and life, viewing art and also have a preview of my painting in commission for the Danubiana museum. Always nice to meet positive, inspiring people who enjoy life and art

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Work by Ton Pret in the Paris Louvre museum

Ton Pret was asked in 2011 to be part of the Dutch delegation that represents the Netherlands for the first time at the exhibition in the famous Louvre museum in Paris. The exhibition was a great success for Ton Pret in several respects, not only was his work sold but he also received new commissions and his art was in the spotlight, during the visit of the Dutch ambassador in France, Hugo Siblesz;  supplemented by a delegation of the Wereldomroep.

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Ton Pret Ferrari Art Car

Ton Pret Ferrari Art Car

For a customer who wanted to have a Ferrari that nobody have, Ton transformed in 2011 a yellow Ferrari 355 GTS into a piece of real fast art. Thanks to the cooperation with the Dutch Ferrari Body Shop, Ton manage the project in 7 weeks with only one single small brush. The Ferrari Art Car was unveiled at the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht, during the Open Art Fair in the presence of Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende. In 2022 the Ferrari Art Car was sold to a high end art and car collector in New York.

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3D sculpture Fruitmachine project with famous designer Alessandro Guerriero

Ton Pret at the Shenzhen World Exhibition Center

Together with the famous Italian designer Alessandro Guerriero and a family of other designers and artists, I am part of this great exhibition in the Design Pavilion Dome with our exhibition called “Familiar Faces”. This exhibiton will take place from July 25 till July 28 at the wonderful Shenzhen World Exhibition Center. My design is called “The Slot/Fruit Machine”: a 3D printed sculpture, part of the “Familiar Faces”.

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Interview Ton Pret December 2020 edition The National Abu Dhabi/Dubai

Interview Ton Pret December 2020 edition The National Abu Dhabi/Dubai

Ton Pret was asked by The National, the most important daily newspaper of the UAE/Abu Dhabi/Dubai, for an interview in the December issue of their Luxury Magazine. He feels very proud and happy. With the Middle East, Ton Pret his art is covering the world more and more. https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/luxury/inside-artist-ton-pret-s-wonder-filled-world-my-wife-tells-me-i-never-grow-up-1.1166735 Thanks to Keith Fernandez for the interview

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