Solo show at Vertical Gallery: “Ratical” April 1–29, 2017.Born in 1951, Xavier Prou (better known as Blek Le Rat), was one of the first graffiti artists in Paris, and is the founder of the international stencil art movement.ĭuring a trip to the United States in 1971, Blek was introduced to the ‘wild style’ graffiti prevalent in New York City, which left a lasting impression on him.

Blek shows clarity in his work, he makes every stylized mark count, yielding art that is at once personal and universal, economical in gesture, and bountiful in statement.” I lose interest when something becomes routine”.īlek has created street art around the world, and has had exhibitions in Paris, London, New York, Milan, Melbourne, San Francisco, Munich, and Los Angeles.īritish graffiti artist Banksy has acknowledged Blek's influence stating 'every time I think I've painted something slightly original, I find out that Blek Le Rat has done it as well, only twenty years earlier.' And Shepard Fairey said, “Blek le Rat’s stencils distill the essence of the human struggle into poetically concise images. “To me, the most interesting aspect of street art is the constant opportunities to be surprised and/or amazed. Before his graduation, Prou visited New York City and developed a fascination with the city’s graffiti and street art. He studied fine art and architecture at Beaux-Arts in Paris, graduating in 1982. His street name is said to originate from a childhood cartoon “Blek Le Roc”, also using “rat” as an anagram for “art”. He started decorating the streets of Paris in 1981 with a rat stencil, hoping to create an invasion of rats - “the only free animal in the city”, while creating a style that would suit Paris and not copy the American style.

He was the first people to use stencils to make public art on the street using icons instead of writing his name.

He is frequently cited as a major influence of artists like Banksy and Shepard Fairey and through his work in Paris he established a style of urban art that quickly spread through Europe and the United States.īlek describes his early work as apolitical, explaining that he just wanted a way to stand out and to free himself from the feeling of anonymity caused by living in a major city. Frequently called the godfather of modern street art, Blek le Rat inspired hundreds of artists around the world with his stenciled style. Blek Le Rat (Xavier Prou) was born in Paris, France in 1951.

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