Blek le Rat

Blek le Rat is Xavier Prou.^[1][2] He was one of the first graffiti artists in Paris, and has been described as the "Father of stencil graffiti".^[3]

Xavier Prou (Blek le Rat) at the gallery opening and book signing at the 941 Geary Gallery, San Francisco

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

Early career and influence

Blek began his artwork in 1981, painting stencils of rats on the walls of Parisian streets. He described the rat as "the only free animal in the city",^[4] and one which "spreads the plague everywhere, just like street art".^[5] His name comes from the comic book Blek le Roc, using "rat" as an anagram for "art".^[3]

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  The iconic stencils of rats by Blek le Rat
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  Blek le Rat in Los Angeles
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  "Ballerina" by Blek le Rat at the 941 Geary Gallery, San Francisco
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  A parody of war
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  An angelino playing the violin
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  Escape from a basement
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  A cop shooting a gun
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  Aviolinist
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  A couple dancing theTango
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  a wall presentation in a gallery
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  A man dress as a computer
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  The Mona Lisa

Related pages

• Banksy