Blek le Rat is a French stencil graffiti artist, born in Paris in 1951. He began painting graffiti on the walls of many buildings in France in the early 1980s. His first painting was a stencil of a rat that he painted all around the city, hoping to make an "invasion of rats." This idea helped in the making of his name. The "Blek le" was inspired by a cartoon strip he used to read when he was young called "Blek le Roc."
Blek le Rat painted the rat for about two years and became well-known. Later, he decided to make his paintings about more serious cases. He wanted his paintings to inspire, conjure reaction, and make change.
And they did.
After 1991, Blek le Rat never painted on walls again. He was put on trial for ten years of doing graffiti and had to pay dramatic fines. He was told that if he was caught painting on walls again, he would be sent to jail. So instead of walls as a canvas, he uses paper now.
Blek le Rat is now living in a 10th century castle in France with his family.
What about your subject is particularly "French"?
Blek le Rat was born in France. His artwork is all over France and it's buildings. He got inspired to paint in the seventies there and then ten years later, he started his painting of the rats. France has helped him become aware of the things around him and has helped him to try and make a difference for the world.
What are the major themes that your subject addresses?
The major themes my subject addresses is independence and change. Blek le Rat showed feelings through his work. Everyone has a voice, but may not know how to use it, so expressing what you feel through pictures and artwork, helps. Blek le Rat said that teenagers just want a way to tell people, to scream, that they are here--they want to be heard.
By expressing your feelings through paintings, it lets the world know what you are thinking. And that conjures reaction. Those reactions turn into ideas and those ideas turn into change, whether it's a drastic change or a small change.
Sources:
Blek le Rat's personal website:
Some YouTube videos:
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