Invaders are everywhere! Paris, Lyon, London, Rome, New York, …
28 May 2019[social_warfare]I was recently very surprised; While I was posting on FB some small photos of Invaders that invade the walls of our cities since a long time, I noticed that many people still did not know the Street Art’s phenomenon Invader born in the late 90s in the Streets of Paris. So I am obliged to give you a little introduction about Invader and his work!
How do not to know the French artist invader who invades our cities for years?
The worrying idea that I start to make Parisianism crossed my mind. No Way! in France the Invaders are also present in Lyon, Montpellier, Marseille, Avignon, … and all around the world in big cities.
I finally grasped the whole problem of this lack of culture! Whether Parisian or not, the pedestrian is too busy scanning the sidewalks to avoid carefully to put his shoes on what could bring him good luck while accompanying a persistent uncomfortable smell throughout his day!
This little article, to invite you to lift a little more your eyes, in France and on a trip. To discover this French artist, out of the Fine Arts of Rouen, who led some of us (I am part of it) to chase the Invaders around the world! And yes Pokémon Go did not invent anything!
Start by discovering on the site of the artist Invader, the extent of this surrealist invasion.
And if you are looking up more often; it’s always nice to discover an Invader at the corner of a street whether in New York, Los Angeles – as the one which is in cover of the article-, Rome or just around your house!
Invader has certainly inspired Pokemon Go, but also fashion brands in lack of inspiration!
As I told you earlier Nintendo has absolutely invented nothing with his Pokemon Go! The invaders were in the place long time before; they are numbered and they too are worth points! You think I’m delirious? Look for my own screenshots!
No it is not a Photoshop montage; but it comes from the free FlashInvaders App available in the App Store and Android.
And that’s not all ; the invaders found themselves everywhere after 2012; between Monsieur Lacenaire, and his mini Sheep Invaders collection: jacquard sweaters that have made a name for themselves with just a hijacking of the brand by replacing “Space” by “Sheep” and a funny little game very inspired as you can see – (
And the Atelier Mercadal that has launched a logo of a Space Invader on a stiletto which is not a sign of elegance or sobriety as claimed by the philosophy of the brand! I will not mention all the brands that have come into that game; because it would be too long. Fortunately after a few years, the phenomenon Invader has calmed down a bit and the artist has continued to invade silently the cities for the pleasure of our eyes, until …
The summer of 2017 false employees of the city of Paris steal the Invaders!
Yes, you read correctly ! It must be admitted; these Invaders have a price and a side on Art Market and as they are accessible to all; it gives ideas. It is therefore equipped with a ladder and yellow vest that two fellows pretended to work for the Mayor of Paris when they were seen plundering the Invader! Presumably after a dozen, the info had already spread too much on social networks for them to continue!
Hier j’ai croisé des gens qui prétendaient être employés de la mairie en décrochant des œuvres d’Invader. La mairie a démenti. #streetart pic.twitter.com/LxvyizpYef
— Pierre Ropert (@Trazou) August 3, 2017
Invaders evolve with the artist and mosaics take new forms!
It is true that all these little Space Invaders were cheerful but a little boring & repetitive; the artist changes gear and it is early June 2018 that we discover his first tribute to May 68; other Invaders related to news, culture, are born everywhere at this moment! The invasion continues!
The invasion of New York in full swing!
I could show you Invaders posed in France, but as 90% of my readers are French I found more exotic to show you what happen in New York City. And also I have to admit that Invader is certainly the French Street Artist most represented in the street of Manhattan! The lasted Invaders posed there were in Little Italy in October 2019, and they are clearly show that the artist is evolving his creations toward more complex mosaics.
The first time I saw an Invader in New York, it was in Brooklyn when I was reporting on the Bushwick Collective and it was monumental! Nothing to see with those found in Paris! A few days later in the middle of Manhattan, I come across a very very large white invader crunching a red apple! Nice nod to the city. I told myself, that Invader was doing too much like the Americans! But in fact, no. When I was walking around the city I’ve started to see more and more invaders of the usual size : a gay friendly Invader right next to the Statue of Liberty reinterpreted by Eduardo Kobra, another under the High Line (pretty planted promenade along the Hudson River from southeast to northeast of Manhattan), an duo of Invaders named Gemini in The Village, another stuck to the Houston Bowery Wall; mythical Street Art’s wall in the heart of Manhattan, and more recently a rabbit Invader at the exit of the Standard Hotel in the Meatpacking!
The most interesting is undoubtedly the very last invaders posed at the end of October 2019 in the district of Little Italy. A Ninja Turtle, I don’t know if you remember their fist names, but they were very Italian like Donatello, Michelangelo, Leonardo,… An Invader superhero who loves New York; just like the artist Invader, or a simpler Invader with the Italian Colors: a tribute to Little Italy.
If you are lucky enough to fly to New York, despite the latest travel restrictions; I am sure you will discover many other Invaders!
If you did not know these small colorful mosaics I hope that this article will make you want to lift a little more head!
On my side I will continue to hunt with smile these invaders that you can find on my Instagram.
If you want to discover other Street artists; I offer you on the blog a nice discovery of the Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra in New York, or a visit of the artworks of the French Christian Guémy alias C215 around the Panthéon in Paris, or the discovery of Madame a French artists that is posing her collage just around my corner in Paris!
See you soon for new urban adventures!
