INVADER — Digitized Urban Artist

Invader (b. 1969, France), also known as Space Invader, is a pioneering figure in contemporary urban art and one of the most influential practitioners of street-based visual culture today. Based originally in Paris, Invader graduated from the École des Beaux-Arts before launching his now-legendary “invasions” in the late 1990s; these were clandestine, tile-based mosaics placed in public spaces around the world. His signature pixelated characters, adapted from 8-bit arcade games such as the 1978 classic Space Invaders, transformed the urban landscape into a global, open-air museum and established him as one of the defining street artists of his generation.

Since the outset of his career, each mosaic “invasion” has been meticulously planned and documented. After installing a work, Invader records its location, photographs the site, and later publishes maps and city-specific reference books. His interventions now number over 4,000 mosaics across five continents, appearing everywhere from the canals of Venice to the alleyways of Tokyo, and famously, on the “D” of the Hollywood Sign on December 31, 1999.

Invader constructs his mosaics from weather-resistant ceramic tiles, a physical analogue to the pixel, the basic unit of early digital imagery. Installations require days of scouting and planning, culminating in a brief window for execution. Alongside his street activations, Invader has developed the acclaimed practice of Rubikcubism, creating pixelated works composed entirely of Rubik’s Cubes. These sculptural tableaux reinterpret iconic images, from the Mona Lisa to stills from A Clockwork Orange, and abstract compositions referencing fragmentation, hard-drive data, and digital distortion.

His audacious street interventions have sparked global fascination. At the height of his Los Angeles “invasion,” local vigilantes attempted to remove the mosaics, igniting what critics described as a “planet-wide war of attrition” between urban defenders and an anonymous artistic force. Even after counterattacks, an estimated 85% of the original pieces remain, further mythologizing Invader’s role in the history of street art. The whimsy of his work, coupled with its precise execution, invites reflection on nostalgia, alienation, and the collision between digital culture and physical space.

Invader’s transition into formal art settings has been equally impactful. His gallery exhibitions include 1,000 in Paris (2011), celebrating his 1,000th mosaic; Wipe Out in Hong Kong (2015); Hello My Game Is… at the Musée en Herbe in Paris (2017); and 1UP at Taglialatella Galleries in New York (2021). His work has appeared in major museums such as MOCA Los Angeles and the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. At auction, Invader’s market has surged, with his Rubikcubism Mona Lisa setting a record and cementing his status as a leading figure in contemporary art.

Explore Invader at DTR Modern Galleries

DTR Modern Galleries is proud to feature works by Invader, offering collectors the rare opportunity to acquire pieces from one of the most influential street artists of the 21st century. His Rubikcubism works and mosaic-inspired compositions are showcased across its contemporary locations in Boston, New York City, Palm Beach, and Washington, D.C.