Blek le Rat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Blek le Rat
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Portrait of Blek le Rat by Martha Cooper, 2006
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| Born |
Xavier Prou
1952 (age 72–73) |
| Education | Beaux-Arts de Paris |
| Alma mater | École nationale supérieure d'architecture de Paris-La Villette |
| Known for | Stencilling |
| Style | Street art |
| Movement | Graffiti |
Blek le Rat is a famous French graffiti artist. His real name is Xavier Prou, and he was born in 1952. Many people call him the "Father of stencil graffiti". He was one of the very first street artists in Paris.
Contents
Early Life
Xavier Prou was born in 1951. His hometown is Boulogne-Billancourt, a city near Paris, France.
Starting Street Art
Blek le Rat started his art in 1981. He painted stencils of rats on the walls of Paris streets. He chose rats because he saw them as the only free animals in the city. He also thought they spread art everywhere, like a "plague."
His artist name, Blek le Rat, comes from a comic book called Blek le Roc. He used "rat" because it's an anagram for "art."
Early Influences
Blek was inspired by the early graffiti art he saw in New York City in 1971. However, he chose a different style for Paris. He felt stencils suited the city's architecture better. He also admired Canadian artist Richard Hambleton. Hambleton painted large human figures in the 1980s.
In 1985, Blek attended an important meeting for graffiti and urban art in France. One of his oldest street artworks is a copy of a painting called Madonna di Loreta. He made it in 1991 for his future wife, Sybille. This artwork was found again in Germany in 2012.
Working with Stencils
In 1991, French police identified Blek le Rat. This happened when he was caught stenciling another famous painting. After this, he started using pre-stenciled posters. This method allowed him to put up his art much faster. It also meant less trouble if he was caught.
Blek le Rat has greatly influenced today's street art. He wants to use his art to raise awareness about social issues. He also wants to bring art to everyone. Many of his pieces show lonely people standing up against bigger, powerful groups. Since 2006, he has created art about people experiencing homelessness. He shows them on sidewalks to highlight this global problem.
Blek le Rat and Banksy
British graffiti artist Banksy has said that Blek le Rat's work is very important. Banksy once said, "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." Both artists have shown interest in working together. In 2011, Blek was seen adding to a mural that Banksy started in San Francisco.
Art Exhibitions
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Blek le Rat has shown his art in many galleries around the world.
Exhibitions in the UK
In October 2003, Blek le Rat had his first solo art show in the United Kingdom. It was held at the Leonard Street Gallery in London. In 2008, he took part in the Cans Festival in London. This event featured outdoor street stencil painting.
Exhibitions in the USA
His first gallery show in the United States was in Los Angeles in 2008. This show included paintings, silkscreen prints, and 3D artworks. It also featured photographs taken by his wife, Sybille Prou.
In 2014, Blek le Rat displayed several large paintings at the Quin hotel in New York City. This exhibit was called "Escaping Paris." He also created special prints at the New York Academy of Art. The Quin hotel has some of his art as part of its permanent collection. He even created an image of Andy Warhol on the hotel's outside wall.
Exhibitions in Australia
In December 2009, Blek also had an exhibition in Melbourne, Australia. Melbourne is a big center for street art. The show was called "Le Ciel Est Bleu, La Vie Est Belle," which means "The sky is blue, life is beautiful." It showed his art from the early 1980s until today.
Even with these gallery shows, Blek le Rat prefers his art to be on the streets. He believes an artist's work should be seen by as many people as possible. He feels it's more important than being sold or recognized in a museum.
See also
In Spanish: Blek le Rat para niños
