the godfather of stencil art
blek le rat
interview with i.t.a.
blek it is such an honour to interview an icon of the street art scene such as you. you’re a prolific artist and an innovator of a completely new style of street art. welcome to powder blek.
firstly, I’d like to ask you how it feels to have the title ‘the godfather of stencil art’?
Pure Evil first called me like that in 2004 when I stayed in his apartment in London . He introduced me to his friends as the godfather. It’s funny how it was then spread all over the world through internet. I feel OK with this title.
what inspired you to begin as one of the first street artists in paris? what was the scene like in the early days?
The scene was taken with political graffiti in the street of Paris at that time in 1981 . Of course, I was inspired by the graffiti that I saw in NYC in 1971 during a trip over there but I didn’t want to imitate American graffiti because Paris is a totally different city, and I thought that I had to find a different look for my graffiti . In the early 60’s I made a journey to Italy, when I was a kid, and I remembered to have seen graffiti made during WW2 for Mussolini's propaganda using stencils. I remember the image of this guy with an helmet in the streets of Padova .
have you had much trouble with the law since you began? has the attitude of the police changed over the years?
Yes I was in court in France in 1991, the attitude of the police is worse now than it was in 1981. At that time the police did not care about graffiti, if the message was not inspired by a political message. When the police car stopped when I was making a graffiti I just said, “This is not political, this is just art,” and the police went away.
why create art on the streets? what do the streets do to your art and you as an artist? what does street art do for the community?
When you leave an image in the streets the day after thousands and thousands of people will see your graffiti. It’s important for an artist to be seen and it is the best way to be seen by working in the streets. Street art brings art to the people, it’s a gift the artist makes to the community and it has to be considered as a gift and not as a criminal act.
some of the very first images you painted were of rats. why the rats? what did they mean to you?
Because Paris, like every city in the world, is full of rats. They are the only wild animals living in the city and Rat is the anagram of Art.
you’ve always been political. what issues are you concerned with today? what are the issues that have always concerned you?
Homelessness is an issue that you can find in every city in the world. Once we will give a solution to this problem I will sleep better.
of your work, what are some of the favourite pieces that you’ve produced?
I love all of them.
which current street artists inspire you?
I am not inspired by other street artist but I love Shepard Fairey, Slinkachu, Mark Jenkins and many more.
banksy is renowned around the world for his street art. much of his inspiration has come from your work and at times he seems to have borrowed heavily from you. how does this feel?
It means that he has a good taste.
over the last decade you’ve done quite a few gallery exhibitions. where have your exhibitions been? how has the transition into the gallery been for you?
I have showed my works in many countries around the world. I think we need to keep a memory of what happened in the streets. Street art is an ephemeral art and if we want to keep a memory of our work in the streets we have to show our work in places like galleries.
what projects are you working on at the moment blek? what will you be up to later in twenty fourteen?
I am going to make a tour of South America in March for the trademark Puma in Chile, Peru and Mexico city and then shows in different galleries .
once again it is such an honour blek. thanks for speaking with us here at powder. we look forward to seeing your next pieces and hopefully catch you sometime on the streets of paris.
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