Untitled

Blek Le Rat, a pseudonym for Xavier Prou, is a French artist whose plague of stencilled rats have graced cities worldwide since 1981. The artist is an influential early figure in the field of street art and is regularly called the father of stencil art. During a trip to the United States in 1971, Blek discovered the so-called "wild style" graffiti prevalent in New York City, which left a lasting impression on him. Inspired by what he saw in New York, Blek began painting on the streets of Paris in 1981, choosing the stencil instead as the artist thought it was more appropriate for French architecture.

Describing rats as "the only free animal in the city", the artist's moniker is a play on rat as a subversive anagram for art. Taking part in the 2008 Nuart Festival, Blek Le Rat painted this piece for the city of Stavanger, mirroring the visuals he created for his indoor installation section of the festival at Tou Scene.