Known as the Godfather of Stencil Art, French artist Blek le Rat’s work served as one of the inspirations for artists like Banksy and Space Invader. Born Xavier Prou, Blek adopted his pseudonym “Blek le Rat” from an Italian comic called “Blek le Roc.” Blek began stenciling images of rats around the streets of Paris. Blek’s work is often centered on creating images that make the viewer stop and think. Although the art scene in Paris hasn’t always accepted the validity of his work, the global urban art scene has.
