xavier prou
blek le rat (pronounced [blɛk lə ʁa]; born xavier prou, 1951) is a french graffiti artist. he was one of the first graffiti artists in paris, and has been described as the 'father of stencil graffiti'. blek began his artwork in 1981, painting stencils of rats on the walls of paris streets. he described the rat as 'the only free animal in the city', and one which 'spreads the plague everywhere, just like street art'. his name originates…
The Lifeline
Scroll through xavier prou's working life — artwork by artwork, chapter by chapter — from the earliest dated work to the last. Each thumbnail is pinned at its exact year on the gold axis.
Chapters — Career Periods
The ribbon is divided into shaded bands, one per career chapter. Each chapter groups xavier prou's works by their historical period — early training, mature practice, final years.
Thumbnails — Dated Works
Every thumbnail is pinned at its precise creation year. A thin gold thread drops from the image to its exact point on the axis. Larger frames mark the artist's masterpieces by rank.
Colour Band — Movement Drift
The gradient bar beneath the axis shifts colour as the dominant art movement changes over time — from the warm golds of the early period through the deeper tones of maturity. It fills progressively as you scroll.