Little pixel aliens. Inspired by the cult 1980s video game “Space Invaders”, these colorful mosaics have become the artist’s signature. Since the end of the 1990s, Invader has discreetly stuck them on Parisian facades, most often at night and without authorization.
Today, more than 4,400 of his works dot the world’s major cities. Some of them are currently visiting the Petit Palais, where Invader is participating in the exhibition “WE ARE (still) HERE”, which brings together 75 street artists until September 20.
Created in 2014, the FlashInvaders app launched a global treasure hunt for the artist’s mosaics. The principle is simple: photograph your works to add them to a virtual collection and earn points.
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“A craft that dates back 3,000 years”
“He took a craft that dates back 3,000 years and made it the most contemporary practice there is,” explains Mehdi Ben Cheikh, curator of the exhibition, interviewed by France 24. “There are half a million people running around the entire planet to earn points and discover his world little by little.”
In the French capital, enthusiasts roam the streets to flash the works. On the corner of a street in the Marais, Morgane immortalizes a mosaic to complete her collection: “It was the very last one I was missing in Paris. Now I’m up to date, so I’m very happy,” testifies the influencer.
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For some enthusiasts, the quest does not stop at the simple “flash”. Groups meet regularly to maintain the mosaics, sometimes perched on a ladder, so that they resist time and bad weather. “With the cloth and acetone, we clean all the tiles to make them shine again. This is where we see all the magnificent details,” one of them explains to France 24.
If the original works remain accessible free of charge in public spaces, their value on the art market has soared. Some copies can fetch up to 350,000 euros at auction.
