Beginning on August 18, West Chelsea Contemporary is proud to present its newest exhibition, Blek Le Rat. A pioneer of international street art and dubbed the “Father of stencil graffiti,” Blek Le Rat has a prolific practice that spans over four decades and four continents. Marking his first trip back to the US in over 5 years, this will be Blek’s first solo exhibition in New York City, and will feature his newest body of work, which presents two dozen works on canvas employing some of the artist’s most well-known imagery.
Blek was first introduced to graffiti in 1971 during a trip to New York City and was inspired to bring the style back to Paris. A decade later, Blek drew on his degree in printmaking and his appreciation for urban art, integrating the ethos of graffiti with the practicality and refinement of stencil-based design. It is only in recent years that graffiti and street art have become regarded as a valid form of fine art both in the eyes of the established art world and the public alike. As the discourse has evolved and street art has been lauded as a pivotal movement in the history of art, Blek Le Rat has been recognized as inextricably tied to this legacy. Pioneering the movement of stencil graffiti, Blek has influenced generations of street artists around the world, including the infamous Banksy who has claimed “Every time I think I’ve painted something slightly original, I find out that Blek Le Rat has done it too, only Blek did it twenty years earlier.”
Over the course of his forty-year career, Blek Le Rat’s thoughtful and provocative imagery has appeared in city streets across the world. His canvases offer a glimpse into an artistic practice that is diverse in subject, unique in vision, and masterful in technique. Blek Le Rat will run from August 18 through September 15 at West Chelsea Contemporary’s New York gallery. Please RSVP to the public opening at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/blek-le-rat-solo-show-at-west-chelsea-contemporary-new-york-tickets-397382490727.
Venue: West Chelsea Contemporary – 231 10TH AVE., NY 10011
Dates: 8/18/22-9/15/22
