Subliminal Projects 

Curator: Let's discuss this striking piece, “Subliminal Projects,” attributed to Blek le Rat and exhibited right here at the Subliminal Projects Gallery in Los Angeles. It utilizes stencil and painting techniques and definitely grabs your attention with its dual portraiture. Editor: Absolutely. My initial reaction is a certain... melancholy? The monochromatic palette, particularly the juxtaposition of the sharp black figure against the ghostly blue stencil, gives it a very somber, almost haunted feel. Is it two distinct figures? Curator: One could see it that way. Blek le Rat is, of course, a pioneer of stencil graffiti. Note the way he employs layering and repetition, nodding to printmaking processes and challenging our conventional ideas of "fine art." The image of the young boy appears very deliberate, clean edges and crisp lines contrasting starkly with the figure to its left, and making you wonder which is a "figure" and which is a specter. Editor: Yes, and speaking of "figure," what’s the backstory? How did images like these – often appearing overnight, illegally at first – find their way into a gallery setting? It shifts the context and therefore meaning of these art pieces, don't you agree? From public statement to private commodity, is a concern of mine with this artist and works such as these. Curator: The shift is undeniably significant. What was once a gesture of reclaiming public space transforms into a curated object for consumption. However, the use of readily available materials – paint, stencils – grounds it. His artistic processes highlight accessible production means, inviting reflection on art's wider social implications. This democratization of the visual sphere that Blek le Rat has explored has allowed viewers access in spaces that can at times feel restrictive. Editor: Precisely! I am glad that this accessibility can exist on this canvas, since other galleries may find it far too crass for their audiences. Curator: A good thing that that tension still simmers, no? It forces institutions to consider their role in the shaping of artistic value and dissemination of the images. Editor: Indeed. Thinking about that production element alongside audience access provides much food for thought. Thank you. Curator: And thank you for the perspective. This gives us a more robust view of the work and its value in contemporary spaces.