Invader

Invader, a masked French artist born in 1969, has been liberating 8-bit aliens from their digital confines and embedding them into the physical world since the late 1990s. Inspired by the 1978 arcade game Space Invaders, he began installing ceramic tile mosaics of pixelated characters throughout Paris—at night, anonymously, and often without permission.

His Space Invaders Project reimagines urban architecture as a global game board. Each new installation earns a score based on complexity, size, and location. By 2025, Invader had installed nearly 4,000 works across 79 cities on 6 continents. Like video game trophies, these mosaics are scattered across rooftops, bridges, monuments, and hidden corners, encouraging the public to explore and interact with their environment.

Beyond nostalgia and play, Invader’s work is deeply philosophical. He challenges the exclusivity of gallery spaces, bringing art to everyone and redefining how we engage with cities. The project’s pixelated aesthetic, borrowed from digital screens, transforms public walls into physical canvases. His creatures are cultural symbols—quirky, retro, and subversively clever—who question the commercial gatekeeping of art and reclaim public space with wit and charm.

By keeping his identity hidden, Invader elevates the message above the messenger. He defines himself as an 'Unidentified Free Artist' and continues to invade urban space with joy, precision, and revolutionary intent. His legacy is part game, part movement, and wholly art without permission.