Blek Le Rat - Stencil Artist Interview

September 2008

Interview with Blek Le Rat, the infamous French stencil artist who has been a major influence on graffiti and the urban art scene with his desire to bring art to the people in their own environment.

Blek Le Rat pasting in Paris (March 2004)

How old are you?

I am 56 years old, but I feel like 20.

How long have you been creating stencil graffiti?

I started in 1981 in Paris, so 27 years ago.

How did you get into graffiti and what made you decide to work with stencils?

It is a long story, but what I can say is that the first time I saw some urban art was in NYC in 1971 during a trip that I made for summer and I remember to have been really fascinated by what I saw in the streets of NY.

Why did you choose the image of a rat for your first stencils?

Because they are the only wild and rebel animals living in the city and they scared people.

Does the name "Blek Le Rat" originate from your use of the rat in your early work?

Actually, my name comes from a comic book that we used to read in France when I was a kid called "Blek le Roc", I changed the Roc to Rat because in Rat we have the same letters as in ART and I like that.

Have you always created work under the name "Blek Le Rat" or do you create art under any other names?

When I was student I used to sign with my real name "Xavier Prou" but since making graffitti I have only used Blek Le Rat or Blek.

I can imagine that when you started to paint on the streets in Paris it was a radical and uncommon thing to do, how long was it before other people followed suit and you saw some kind of response to your work?

The people started to answer to my stencils about two years after I started. The first guy that I noticed took the name of TNT and he used to add a bat above my characters… I loved that!

First rats in Paris by Blek Le Rat (1981)

Spaceman - Paris, Quai Louis Blériot (December 2003)

"Spaceman" by Blek Le Rat - Paris, Quai Louis Blériot (December 2003)

What are your views on the difference between the stencil artwork that you produce and the more 'traditional' style of graffiti?

I am not sure there is a huge difference, as I said at the Tate "We belong to the same family of people and we are going to the same restaurant but we don't eat the same meal" and as Rough said "We don't drink the same wine".

How do you decide on an image to stencil?

It depends the city and the time.

The Independant newspaper once described you as "the godfather… of politically conscious graffiti", does your work always have a political edge or social message to it?

Not always… I like to talk about my life as well, or things which touch me. I like to talk about the past and the memory of things and places for example.

Banksy is famously quoted as saying "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" - have statements like this and the 'fame' that Banksy has achieved been of any benefit to you and your work?

I am not sure it gave me a benefit to my work but it gave the possibilty to get famous in Great Britain and I was never expecting a thing like that before.

"Computerhead" by Blek Le Rat - London (March 2007)

The Man Who Goes Through The Wall - London (0ctober 2004)

"The Man Who Goes Through The Wall" by Blek Le Rat - London (0ctober 2004)

You were one of the artists involved in Banksy's Cans Festival, what were your views on that event?

It was a great event, it was really interesting to see so many good artists gathered together with the same goal.

Much of the work at the Cans Festival was added too or altered after it's creation, how do you feel about your work in the street being either changed or removed?

It doesn't matter because when I do something in the street the image evolves by itself after. It is one thing I really like in the urban space… when our images change and when other artists add another image on it.

It is one thing I really like in the urban space… when our images change and when other artists add another image on it.
Blek Le Rat

I recently saw you lecture alongside Rough at the Tate Modern on the subject of Street Art, how did you come to be involved in that project?

I know the guy who is working at the Tate called "Cedar Lewishon" and he created the project.

How did you find the experience of the lecture and did any of the questions raised by the audience leave you with anything to think about?

I am very touched by people coming to a lecture and above all having an interest in urban art. It is incredible how people are involved in urban art, it means that we are not working for nothing in the street and we have an audience. It is difficult to measure the audience when we are working in streets.

What are your feelings on the transition of graffiti from the street into the gallery?

It is normal for any kind of art to be in a gallery and kept by the collectors. Our art is an ephemere art so it must be kept somewhere for the future and galeries are a good medium to take it.

You have had your work displayed in many galleries across the world, is there any one exhibition that stands out from the rest?

I feel confortable in every place I go around the world.

"Beggar" by Blek Le Rat - New York (2006)

"David" by Blek Le Rat - France (2005)

There seems to have been a sudden surge of interest in graffiti and street art recently, why do you think this is?

It is really important as this movement, in my honest opinion, is the most important movement of art in the history of art.

Has your stenciling become a full-time career for you now?

Yes it has.

Is there any one point in your career you would class as 'your big break'?

Yes, when I had to go to court in France in 1991… it was a real BIG break.

There has recently been a book published about you called "Blek Le Rat: Getting Through The Walls", how has that been selling and have you recieved much feedback about it so far?

I know that we sold two editions in the first month, I think we are on the third or fourth edition now but I don't know exactly.

You have travelled overseas many times to leave your mark, where is the most exciting or interesting place you have left a stencil?

It is different at each time but I really like the work I made in California with my family in 2007.

How often do you travel overseas to stencil?

Very often, my passport is full of visas!

What are you feelings on the graffiti scene in France at the moment?

I like very much the work of Space Invader.

There still seems to be a very fine line between those who see graffiti as art and those who see it as a form of vandalism, what are your views on this?

Vandalism? I think they are wrong. It is a present that you make to the people and you take a big risk in doing it!