He has also been noted for his series of images representing the homeless, begun in 2005, which depict them standing, sitting or laying on sidewalks, in attempts to bring attention to what he views as a global problem. Many of his pieces are pictorials of solitary individuals in opposition to larger, oppressive groups. He has had a great influence on today's graffiti art and "urban art" movements, the main motivation of his work being social consciousness and the desire to bring art to the people. From that point on, he has worked mainly with pre-stenciled posters, citing the speedier application of the medium to walls, as well as lessened punishment should he be caught in the act. Blek's identity was revealed to French authorities in 1991 when he was arrested while stenciling a replica of Caravaggio's Madonna and Child, with the connection to Blek and his artwork being made by police. Blek Le Rat has since made many variations of the image, including print editions, paintings on canvas (as seen here), and even a mixed media version on wood, which fetched the artist's current record auction result of nearly 77,000. The Last Tango In Paris stencil first appeared in the streets of Paris in 1986. Blek is credited with being the inventor of the life-sized stencil, as well as the first to transform stencil from basic lettering into pictoral art. Last Tango is a unique painting by the 'father of stencil graffiti,' Blek Le Rat. He also stated the influence of New York's Richard Hambilton, who painted large-scale human figures in the 1980s. Initially influenced by the early graffiti art of New York City after a visit in 1971, he chose a style which he felt better suited Paris, due to the differing architecture of the two cities. ![]() His name originates from a childhood cartoon "Blek le Roc", using "rat" as an anagram for "art". ![]() He began his artwork in 1981, painting stencils of rats on the street walls of Paris, describing the rat as "the only free animal in the city", and one which "spreads the plague everywhere, just like street art". BLEK LE RAT (Franais, n en 1952) Last Tango (Red), 2008 Peinture arosol et pochoir sur toile, signe, date en bas droite et tamponne et date au dos Spray paint and stencil on canvas, signed, dated in black ink lower right and stamped and dated in black ink verso 166 x 133,5 cm 65.5 x 52. Blek le Rat, born Xavier Prou in Boulogne-Billancourt, Paris in 1951, was one of the first graffiti artists in Paris, and the originator of stencil graffiti art.
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