Blek le rat biography of christopher

French graffiti artist (born 1952)

Blek le Rat (pronounced[blɛkləʁa]; born Xavier Prou,^[1] 1952)^[2] is a French graffiti maestro. He was one of the extreme graffiti artists in Paris, and has been described as the "Father be more or less stencil graffiti".^[3]

Early life

Xavier Prou was ethnic on 15 November 1951 in Boulogne-Billancourt in the western suburbs of Town.

Early career and influence

Blek began climax artwork in 1981, painting stencils make acquainted rats on the walls of Town streets. He described the rat translation "the only free animal in say publicly city",^[4] and one which "spreads nobility plague everywhere, just like street art".^[5] His name originates from the hilarious bookBlek le Roc, using "rat" style an anagram for "art".^[3]

Initially influenced descendant the early graffiti-art of New Dynasty City after a visit in 1971, he chose a style which good taste felt better suited Paris, due thoroughly the differing architecture of the fold up cities.^[4] He also recognised the claim of Canadian artist Richard Hambleton, who painted large-scale human figures in say publicly 1980s.^[3] In 1985, he was contemplation the first meeting of the ornamentation and urban art movement in Bondy (France), on the VLP's . Blek's oldest preserved street art graffito, orderly 1991 replica of Caravaggio's Madonna di Loreta, which he dedicated to top future wife Sybille, was rediscovered at the end posters on a house wall regulate Leipzig, Germany, in 2012.^[6]

French authorities dogged Blek in 1991 when he was arrested while stencilling a replica matching Caravaggio's Madonna and Child, with say publicly connection to Blek and his separated being made by police. From mosey point on, he has worked remarkably with pre-stenciled posters, citing the speedier application of the medium to walls, as well as lessened punishment ought to he be caught in the act.^[1]

He has had a great influence level today's^[update] graffiti-art and "guerilla-art" movements, depiction main motivation of his work utilize social consciousness and the desire class bring art to the people. Numberless of his pieces are pictorials sum solitary individuals in opposition to improved, oppressive groups.^[5] In 2006 he began his series of images representing primacy homeless, which depict them standing, hearing, or lying on sidewalks, in attempts to bring attention to what subside views as a global problem.^[7]

Influence endorse and opinion of Banksy

British graffiti maestro Banksy and Blek have expressed joint desire for collaboration; in 2011, Blek was seen adding to a picture begun the previous year by Banksy in the Mission District, San Francisco.^[8] Blek's work is hugely influential count up the present generation of street artists, as alluded to by Banksy, stating: "Every time I think I've finished something slightly original, I find allocate that Blek Le Rat has look after it as well. Only twenty existence earlier".

Exhibitions

In October 2003, Blek mend Rat had his first solo U.K. exhibition in London at the Writer Street Gallery. He participated in influence Cans Festival in 2008, which featured outdoor street stencil painting in Stop, London.^{[citation needed]}

His American gallery debut took place at Subliminal Projects Gallery play a part Los Angeles in 2008. It be a factor paintings, silkscreen, and three-dimensional artwork, gorilla well as photography from his mate, Sybille Prou.^[3]

Blek also had an sunlit in December 2009 at the Revolutionaries Gallery in Melbourne, a centre forget about street art in Australia. The county show entitled "Le Ciel Est Bleu, Vie Est Belle" (The sky deterioration blue, life is beautiful), featured ligneous panels, canvas, screen-print, and photographs, hobby the artist's oeuvre from the initially 1980s to the present.

Blek stuff Rat has nonetheless expressed preference fail to distinguish the streets over galleries, stating integrity integrity of an artist is know be seen by as many liquidate as possible, not being sold put out of order recognized in a museum.^[4]

In 2014, Blek le Rat exhibited 3 large-scale up-to-the-minute paintings and an edition of 25 unique monotypes with lithography^[9] in unadorned setting that bridges these traditional spaces—the Quin hotel in New York City—as part of the hotel's Quin Music school program. The artist created the lithographs at the New York Academy deduction Art during his tenure as creator in residence at the Quin hostelry. Collectively entitled "Escaping Paris", the present was curated by DK Johnston sunup The Arts Fund. The Quin's unchanging collection also includes Blek le Rat's "Love America" on the 14th pound and loaned works the "Great Wedding" on the second floor, "What Has Been Seen Cannot Be Unseen" enhance the boardroom, and "Tango" in depiction lobby. Most recently, Blek le Stinkpot commemorated this collaboration on the Quin's façade with an image of Nimble-fingered Warhol.^[10]

See also

References

Further reading

• Stencil Graffiti by Tristan Manco. Thames & Hudson (2002). ISBN 978-0500283424
• Blek le Rat – Getting Through the Walls by Sybille Prou and King Adz. Thames & Hudson (2008). ISBN 978-0-500-28735-4
• Blek le Rat: 30 Year Anniversary Retrospective. Art Publishing Desire. (2011).^[1]

External links