Blek Le Rat Art
French, b. 1951
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.
During 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. Inspired by what he saw in New York, Blek began painting the streets of Paris in 1981, choosing a different technique – the stencil – as more appropriate for the French architecture.
Blek’s first stencils were black rats, seen to be running along the walls throughout the centre of Paris. The rat, also an anagram for ‘art’, is in Blek’s mind “the only animal to survive the apocalypse“. In 1983 Blek began to paint life-size stencils, which alongside his rats, have become his trademark and have influenced generations of street artists around the world.
Blek considers his images as gifts to the cities of the world, raising awareness of social issues. His heroes are solitary individuals crossing through the urban space – women, children, the elderly and other contemporary figures in an urban city.
Dedicated to the idea of bringing art to the people, Blek often quotes the old masters like Caravaggio, Michelangelo, Guido Reni and Leonardo da Vinci. “I want the characters of the paintings to walk out of the museums to give them back to the people of the city” he says.
In the mid 2000s, Blek’s work evolved to become more overtly political. Following the kidnapping of French journalist Florence Aubenas in Iraq, Blek pasted hundreds of prints of her image around Paris. Her portrait appeared everywhere, from her work place at Libération, next to cafés and offices of major newspapers. This activation aimed to attract the attention of the media and politicians to raise awareness of her situation.
This body of work was a defining moment for Blek, who says, “I became aware of my power and responsibilty as an artist working in the public space“. That same year, Blek began a series portraying beggars on the street, aiming to shed light on the issue of homelessness. Blek paints the same portrait of a young beggar around the world, from Europe, to the United States to Australia, to challenge authorities, because “sometimes images have a bigger impact than reality“.to
1
1
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
6
6
4
2
1
Artist: Blek Le Rat
Dealer: Patrick Jones Gallery
Classik Box
By Blek Le Rat
Located in Dallas, TX
Classikbox – 2016
by Blek the rat
Art casing – Ed.100
Containing 3 serigraphs Ed.100
The man who walks through walls / Madonna and Child / Beggar
Screen-p...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Street Art Blek Le Rat Art
Materials
Plexiglass, Screen
Related Items
Shepard Fairey Burn Baby Burn Letterpress Stencil Screenprint Contemporary Art
By Shepard Fairey
Located in Draper, UT
"Inspired by the aesthetics of 'live fast - die young' rock 'n' roll, is a critique of some harmful habits we are addicted to. Not just the harmful effects of burning fossil fuels, b...
Category
2010s Street Art Blek Le Rat Art
Materials
Screen
Ruth Bader Ginsburg "A Champion of Justice" Shepard Fairey Roe VS. Wade
By Shepard Fairey
Located in Draper, UT
Original Photo by Ruven Afanador.
"Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a hero of mine because she was a low-key radical. She encountered gender discrimination in her personal life which she over...
Category
2010s Street Art Blek Le Rat Art
Materials
Screen
Keith Morris Shepard Fairey Screen Print Signed By Glen Friedman Black Flag Art
By Shepard Fairey
Located in Draper, UT
4 color screen print. Signed by Shepard Fairey, Glen E. Friedman and Keith Morris.
As a founding member of Black Flag and Circle Jerks, songwriter and vocalist Keith Morris was at t...
Category
2010s Street Art Blek Le Rat Art
Materials
Screen
World Class, iconic coveted 13 color silkscreen with paint Unique variant Signed
By Mr. Brainwash
Located in New York, NY
Mr. Brainwash
World Class, 2009
Thirteen color silkscreen on hand stained archival art paper. Individually finished with spray paint and stencil balloon; unique variant
Hand signed t...
Category
Early 2000s Street Art Blek Le Rat Art
Materials
Spray Paint, Archival Paper, Screen, Stencil
Imagine a World without Arseholes - Contemporary Art
Located in London, GB
Medium: 1 Colour Screenprint on old reclaimed pages from the Bible with a hand-painted background
Year: 2024
Edition: 40
Paper Size: 31.2cm (h) x 23.5cm (w)
Framed Size: 38.5 (h) x 3...
Category
2010s Street Art Blek Le Rat Art
Materials
Screen
LA Fingers Gold Diamond Dust Edition Estevan Oriol Print Los Angeles BTS Street
Located in Draper, UT
Medium
Print
Condition
Print is in Pristine Condition and has been stored flat since purchase in 2019. Four sharp corners and in Mint Condition.
Signature
Hand-signed by artist, Hand signed and numbered in Pencil by the Artist, Estevan Oriol...
Category
2010s Street Art Blek Le Rat Art
Materials
Gold
Save Stilettos
By Faile
Located in Hollywood, FL
Artist: Faile
Title: Save Stilettos
Size: 39 x 27.5 in
Medium: Silkscreen
Edition: of 100
Year: 2016
Notes: Custom Framed
18 Color Silkscreen Ink on Paper
Archival Coventry Rag 290gsm.
Signed & Stamped, Faile 2010
"The prints where released in conjunction with the Bedtime Stories show featuring some of the new processes involved in the wood paintings. These are 18-color silkscreen prints on an archival Coventry Rag 290gsm, deckled edge paper. Based off 3 new images from the show. It was quite a journey to try and convey the wood block paintings...
Category
2010s Street Art Blek Le Rat Art
Materials
Screen
The Future is Unwritten Collage Shepard Fairey Screen Print Obey Giant
By Shepard Fairey
Located in Draper, UT
Manufacturer:
Obey Giant
Edition Details:
Year: 2021
Run: 151 out of 300
Technique: Screen Print
Paper: 80lb Cream French Speckletone
Size: 18 X 24
Markings: Signed & Numbered
Publis...
Category
2010s Street Art Blek Le Rat Art
Materials
Screen
PichiAvo "Medusa Rondanini Lefkos" Glow In The Dark Silkscreen Print Street Art
Located in Draper, UT
Medium:
Print
Signature:
Hand-signed by artist in pencil and dated 2022.
Certificate of authenticity
Included (issued by gallery)
Publisher:
Original Limited Edition from PichiAvo....
Category
2010s Street Art Blek Le Rat Art
Materials
Screen
Ben Frost Blotter Paper Cocaine Just One More Bump! Thumper & Bambi Disney
By Ben Frost
Located in Draper, UT
PROVENANCE
Comes with COA from 1XRUN and an Invoice Receipt from NEW UNION GALLERY.
ADDITIONAL INFO
This RUN comes signed & numbered by the artist, and with a Certificate of Authenti...
Category
2010s Street Art Blek Le Rat Art
Materials
Screen
Edgar Plans "You Are My Hero" Original Drawing Certificate Of Authenticity AR
By Edgar Plans
Located in Draper, UT
Edgar Plans - YOU ARE MY HERO LIMITED EDITION AR + COA. Original drawing by Edgar Plans drawn in Pink Marker.
From the surface, the artwork of Edgar Pl...
Category
2010s Street Art Blek Le Rat Art
Materials
Screen
Bluester
By Kenny Scharf
Located in London, GB
Kenny Scharf
Bluester, 2023
15-colour screen print on Mohawk Superfine UltraWhite, 160 lb cover paper.
Signed by the artist, numbered and stamped by the publishers, JRP Editions.
61...
Category
2010s Street Art Blek Le Rat Art
Materials
Screen
Blek Le Rat art for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Blek Le Rat art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Blek Le Rat in acrylic paint, paint, synthetic resin paint and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 21st century and contemporary and is mostly associated with the street art style. Not every interior allows for large Blek Le Rat art, so small editions measuring 12 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of J.M. Robert, Alec Monopoly, and Fabien Rocca. Blek Le Rat art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,200 and tops out at $63,500, while the average work can sell for $47,500.