Questions
How did stencilling begin ? When was it first seen as an art form in the streets? Who are the artists currently employing it ?
What is Stencilling?
Stencil graffiti makes use of stencils made out of paper, cardboard, or other media to create an image or text that is easily reproducible. The desired design is cut out of the selected medium and then the image is transferred to a surface through the use of spray paint or roll- on paint. Often the stencils express political and social opinions of the artist, or are simply images of pop culture icons.
By Golan Levin, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania How did stencilling begin? When was it first seen as an art form in the streets?
Those who began stencilling may have had many motivations. It is a cheap and easy method to produce a message. Because stencils are prepared ahead of time, and spraying (or rolling) over them is quite quick, a street artist can make a detailed piece in seconds. Since the stencil stays uniform throughout its use, it is easier for an artist to quickly replicate what could be a complicated piece at a very quick rate. The stencil graffiti subculture has been around since the mid 60s to 70s and evolved from the freestyle graffiti seen in the New York City subways and streets. Social turmoil ruled the United States in the 1970s, which gave rise to anti-establishment movements. Punk rock bands, such as Black Flag and Crass, and punk venues would stencil their names and logos across cities and became known as symbols to the punk scene. As the graffiti culture spread with the rise of hip-hop in the 1980s, so did the emergence of the stencil graffiti genre. Stencils began to appear in cities all around the world from New York City to Melbourne, Australia. However, the artist stayed anonymous and tagged their work with alias names, giving a mystery to the subculture.
John Fekner is one of the first artists to place his work outdoors, starting in 1968. Fekner's stencil Wheels Over Indian Trails greeted motorists and international travellers arriving in New York City at the Pulaski Bridge Queens Midtown Tunnel from 1979-1990. The grandfather of stencil graffiti, Blek le Rat became a shadow of the Parisian streets during the 1980s. Influenced by the graffiti artists of New York City, le Rat was convinced to create something of his own. As a result, le Rat developed life-sized stencils. Who are the artists currently employing this method?
Jef Aerosol
Jef Aerosol, born in Nantes was an early pioneer of street art, having begun his artistic career in 1982 in Tours, France. His street art and gallery paintings are exhibited all over the world, and he is known as a stencil master as well as a master of the art of portraiture. His iconic portraits include the famous and the ordinary
Banksy As stencil graffiti's most well known artist, Banksy has certainly made a name for stencilled art. Banksy was born in 1975 in Bristol, England and began practicing free hand graffiti in 1992. By 2000, Banksy began doing stencils, which is when he started being noticed by the public. His stencils earned Banksy national attention as they set out to shock the public. Many of Banksy's stencils comment corruption in society through humour and ironic images.
Above Paris-based street artist ABOVE is known for weaving stencil paintings into the surrounding streetscape to create images that border on optical illusions. Travelling the world to make art that comments on social and political issues, ABOVE keeps an eye out for situations where real world and painted image can interact, with results that are playful, head- scratching and haunting. Shepard Fairey
Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Fairey had a reasonably comfortable childhood. He attended the Idyllwild Arts Academy and the Rhode Island School of Design, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1992. A longtime skateboarder, Shepard easily became absorbed in the world of street art, and while he was still attending school, he began experimenting with using stickers on stop signs and walls.