Blek Le Rat ... the 'godfather' of stencil graffiti

Blek Le Rat is one of the most celebrated and influential figures in street art—indeed, he is regarded as the 'godfather' of stencil graffiti. His status was verified in Banksy’s unofficial biography: "Every time I think I've painted something original I find out that Blek le Rat has done it as well, only 20 years earlier."

The broader advertising, graphics and design world owes much to Blek le Rat’s aesthetic. He was the first street artist to use life-size stencils to bring art to people in the world. Blek le Rat’s urban images—at times playful, at times political, frequently provocative—have penetrated collective understandings of meaning, identity, location.

The man who walks through walls is a self-portrait incorporating the body of one of Blek le Rat's favourite actors. The stencil was created in 2004 and has since enhanced walls in London, Buenos Aires, Leipzig, Prague and New York, making it Blek le Rat's most travelled character.