It was good to finally track down Lek. I had been a fan of his work for a bit. While most artists keep some type of online presence, or are concerned about showing there work on the internet. Lek seemed elusive. I kept coming across his amazing work in photos of graffiti from Paris and France, but i could never track down the artist. Upon watching his work over the internet I immediately knew that this artist was for real. It’s hard to explain the difference, or what that term means to me. I leave it to you to judge for yourself. I finally tracked him down through mutual artists and reached out. When you look at these pictures he sent me you can see for yourself how impressive his work is. Lek is an artist that truly deserves the term street artist. I am not a proponent of the term Street Art in the context it is used within today’s art world. I make an exception in Lek’s case he is the real deal. Lek’s paintings are everywhere in Paris adorning abandoned areas, public walls, even in impromptu street installations on containers. His ability to push the medium of spray paint and not become attached to its tradition to the point where it hinders the progression is his best trait in my opinion. We expect a lot from Lek in the future. If your looking forward to seeing his work in person I suggest venturing out in the city of Paris. You will be blessed with real life installations of a great contemporary abstract graffiti artist pushing our art form to new levels.
GF
“Lek is a Parisian writer/graffiti artist. I grew up in the 19th Arrondisment, Paris, an area that in 1980’s cradled many graffiti artists. It was in this period I stated painting, or to be more exact I began to absorb the graphic richness graffiti offers. The writers whom inspired me at the time were people like SKKI, JAY DEUB, MEO, LOKISS and quite a few anonymous writers. What I found exciting was that they had a very precise/ defined universe, whether it be mechanic, organic, futuristic or abstract.
From 1994 I started to define my own universe more clearly. With the LCA (my group), we started creating a graphic identity, pure and minimalist, which at the time was considered some what off the wall. (I was recently told, that at the time, what we did was not considered as ‘good’ nor interesting within the French graffiti movement.)
What interested us was the graphic clash between us and other writers, but no one ever responded to this, so we folded in on our selves and started developing many different styles in order to push our composition and letters further. The style was ‘messy’, deconstructed, stratified and minimalist in color for a better impact. The aim was to lead the gaze to the word, which we tried break by excessively designing segments. These segments broke the letters in a mechanical dis-fragmented way.
At the time I also started exploring new places to paint such as the industrial zone, abandoned stations, basements, buildings, all places left behind / closed down, all places where life has buggered off. Places of experience and inspiration. The curiosity L’instinct de curiosité…….ne permet d’obtenir ou de chercher une forme de liberté………..”
In French
“From 1994 I started to define my own universe more clearly, avec mon equipe les LCA on s’est forgé une identité graphique, pure let minimaliste ce qui pour l’époque etait considéré comme décalé, on pouvait meme nous traité de fou, j’ai aussi entendu dernierement qu’a l’epoque certaine personne ne pouvait dire que ce que l’on faisaient etait bien ou meme intéressant. Nous on chercher uniquement le clash graphique avec les autres groupes mais on avait pas de reponses, on s’est donc replié sur nous meme et on a développé plusieurs manieres d’elaborés nos compositions et nos letters. Sous un aspect éclaté, destructuré, stratifié, en minimisant les couleurs afin d’avoir un meilleur impact qui a pour but de guider le regard sur les mots qu’on a tenté de démolir en dessinant des segments à outrance .Ces segments qui fragmentent les lettres, mecaniquement de façon brefs et saccades. En parallele de cette periode j’ai été aussi amené à explorer de nouveaux lieux, zone industrielle, station abandonee, sous sol, batiments en destructions tous lieux ou la vie à foutu le camp……des lieux d’experiences et d’inspiration. L’instinct de curiosité…….ne permet d’obtenir ou de chercher une forme de liberté………..
J’espere que cela te suffira comme intro de qui est lek……
Je t’envoie aussi quelques photos qui representent un evantail de style et d’epoque, avant 1995 sa ne vaut pas la peine de les voir…ou etre vu……..
Si tu veux en savoir plus ou plus de precisions fait le moi savoir…….. ”
15 comments
Zi says:
May 24, 2011
Do you know if Lek has ever painted something in Stockholm, because I saw walls looking like 4th and 10th photo (near Huddinge, along the railroad).
Paris: Lek LCA says:
May 27, 2011
[…] épuré et très graphique en a inspiré plus d’un et mérite qu’on s’y attarde. Graffuturism lui rend hommage avec ses quelques pépites photographiques : « J’ai grandi dans […]
Sambre & Lek Installation Paris | Graffuturism says:
Dec 18, 2011
[…] and Lek recently collaborated on a new Installation in Paris. Thanks to Thias we were able to get some […]
Sambre & Lek Installation Paris - Tembokbomber | Indonesia Urban Art Community says:
Dec 19, 2011
[…] and Lek recently collaborated on a new Installation in Paris. Thanks to Thias we were able to get some […]
Débroui-art : Déclic 17/02/2012 Jeu-Concours 2 Places à Gagner | Cyclones Magazine says:
Feb 9, 2012
[…] > http://graffuturism.com/2011/05/23/lek/ > http://galeriecelal.com/beyond_lek_oeu_00.html > http://blog.petitebiblioronde.com/evenements/la-bibliotheque-prend-ses-couleurs-d%E2%80%99ete-241 > http://www.graffitiartmagazine.com/index.php?post%2FOutdoor-%3A-Lek-%40-Paris > http://oidem.com/ […]
déclic 17.2.2012 | debrouiart says:
Mar 20, 2012
[…] LEK / OIDEM > http://graffuturism.com/2011/05/23/lek/ > […]
Mausolee Lek Sowat and Friends Video | Graffuturism says:
Apr 16, 2012
[…] depth. What is more important to us is the projects mission statement, which we stand behind 100%. Lek and Sowat have been two of our favorite featured artists for some time. We feel both artists are […]
12ozprophet | says:
May 6, 2012
[…] August 12, 2010, Lek and Sowat found an abandoned supermarket in the north of Paris. For a year, in secret, both […]
Top 12: Lek Pieces | says:
May 21, 2012
[…] source: 12oz Prophet + Graffuturism […]
Mausolee Lek Sowat and Friends Video | says:
May 22, 2012
[…] source:Graffuturism […]
Paris Opening: Mausolee with Lek x Sowat by Butterfly | says:
May 29, 2012
[…] August 12, 2010, French graffiti artists Lek and Sowat found an abandoned supermarket of 430,000sq. ft in the north of Paris. For a year, […]
Paris Opening: Mausolee with Lek x Sowat | BUTTERFLY says:
Jun 2, 2012
[…] August 12, 2010, French graffiti artists Lek and Sowat found an abandoned supermarket of 430,000sq. ft in the north of Paris. For a year, […]
Mausolee: Lek x Sowat (Paris) | says:
Jun 7, 2012
[…] Lek is one of the pioneers of Parisian graffiti and urbex, doing lots of installation in-situ. A recent interview can be found here. […]
2010 Le Graffuturisme | Bronzo Reader says:
Dec 17, 2013
[…] One Lamarche, Graphic Surgery, Hense, Hendrik ECB Beikirch, Jaybo Monk, Joker, Jurne, Kema, Kenor, Lek, Marco Pho Grassi, Matt W. Moore, Moneyless, O.Two, Part2ism, Pixel Pancho, Poesia, Rae Martini, […]
Happy 20th Birthday says:
Sep 1, 2015
[…] Baudelocque、Lek 及Sowat,美國洛杉磯Cleon Peterson,與及本地的五位朋友Barlo、Caratoes、Parent’s […]