Where Louis XIV Meets Crash and Blade

Our favorite stencil bearing Frenchman, Blek le Rat, caught the attention of The New York Times this last week. As part NYC’s group exhibition, “Whole in the Wall,” hosted by Helenbeck Gallery, Blek’s works hung alongside those of Banksy, Martha Cooper, Crash, Blade, and more. The New York Times covered the opening reception, writing up this tidbit of graff history:

photo source: Flickr

“The French call it le graf or le tag: the style of urban artwork that was born nearly four decades ago on New York City subways and brick walls, influencing a generation of artists, self-taught and otherwise, across the world . . .

With works by pioneering Bronx graffiti writers like Crash and Blade and their descendants, including Blek le Rat, a Parisian known for his stencil work, and the anonymous British artist Banksy, the show offers a diaspora that many Americans may not know existed. It’s evolved far beyond early tagging (abstractly writing a name or word in spray paint or marker, usually illegally) to more painterly and figurative forms.” -Melena Ryzik, The New York Times

Scion Swings by San Jose

Us San Franciscans have felt very left out of Scion’s latest project touring the country: Installation 5. Although an exhibition isn’t coming all the way to our doorstep, it’s a train ride away: San Jose opens its doors to Scion this Friday, June 5th. We are proud to see many White Walls and Shooting Gallery artists represented in this self portrait series including Blek le Rat, AJ Fosik, Ron English, and Kelsey Brookes. To celebrate Scion’s first stop on the West Coast, DJ Basura will be providing entertainment at the opening event. Judging by these shots of NYC’s opening, Scion knows how to throw a grand party.

Who Named Blek le Rat

Subliminal Projects gets serious in this chat with legendary French stencil artist, Blek le Rat. In his native tongue the artist reveals how he got his name, his predictions about street art, and why it’s the only medium through which he can express himself:

Directed by Stephanie Hutin and Florencio Zavala.

Chandeliers and Graffiti

What happens when French twin sisters assemble 19 legendary street artists for a NYC show? To start, a Manhattan industrial space becomes a Louis XVI style gallery filled with brand new works from Blek le Rat, Banksy, Martha Cooper, Daze, and more. Hosted by Helenbeck Gallery, “Whole in the Wall: 1970-Now” combines crystal chandeliers with a history lesson on the rise of street art. Opening May 29th, it promises to be quite an affair. Read the press release at SlamXHype.

No More Freedom Fries

We’ve already seen promising advances with the Obama Administration; most notably Shepard Fairey and Wooster Collective being invited to the White House. Our favorite French stencil artist, Blek le Rat, shows his support of our country’s new direction with three new paintings. Spray paint stencils on canvas never looked so good, but of course Blek was the first. Thank god freedom fries are a thing of the past.