The anonymous French street artist, Invader, has become famous for his pixelated mosaics inspired by the arcade game, Space Invaders. These art pieces are not just random installations on the street, but rather strategically placed throughout various cities worldwide, each complimenting their surrounding environments uniquely. Let's dive into the thoughtful placement of Invader's mosaics on urban landscapes, which makes Invader’s mosaics all the more special.

COnsidered Factors

One of the primary considerations for Invader's placements is visibility. The mosaics are positioned in high-traffic areas where they can catch the eye of pedestrians. However, they aren’t placed in areas where they can be easily destroyed. Therefore, highly dense cities that provide busy streets and well-traveled public spaces are the perfect canvas for his work, ensuring maximum exposure and maintaining notice without intrusive.

LDN_156, LDN_157

Another major factor is its accessibility. One of Invader’s motives for creating street art is for people to escape from the digital world and embrace their surroundings. For the sake of hunting down Invader’s mosaics, they have to be easily accessed and scanned with FlashInvaders to record in one’s account.

MARS_90

Naturally, you may think that all of his mosaics would be located somewhere that is simple to access, which may be on the floor, or the street sign. However, some are located in more secluded areas, like the underground. For experienced fans, it adds a bit of spice when trying to find these mosaics.

NY_208

NY_203

PA_1492

Invader chooses locations where his art can complement the existing architecture. By aligning the pixelated graphics with the design and style of their surroundings, the mosaics enhance the urban environment, rather than clash with it. This careful integration merges the artwork into the space it inhabits. An example of this incorporation would be PA_824, which seemingly blends itself to the ledge of the rooftop.

PA_824

Invader's work is often placed next to a location with purpose. The mosaics often reference the service provided there, creating an easy understanding for the local community and adding a practical function to the artwork.

CLR_17

BT_11

DIJ_03

Some mosaics are placed in a natural environment, surrounded by greenery and foliage. With all sorts of vegetation and freshness, Invader encourages people to get out of their comfort zone and explore the wild environment. As he often supports animal rights activities, he encourages people to embrace mother nature by placing these mosaics.

FTBL_23

DJBA_27

though-out placements

At first glance, Invader’s works may seem random and uncoordinated. However, if you look a little deeper, their placement is thoroughly thought out. Characters that tend to jump or fly up high may be located higher; while characters that walk on land would fit best on the floor as they do not tend to lift their feet off the ground.

PA_729

PA_1089

In addition, the mosaics are placed such that it can represent the character’s occupation.

PA_1262

PA_1461

Often, the characters depicted in the mosaics are placed in their natural habitat, or in a motion that best describes the character.

PA_1055

PA_1088

NY_111

Casual placements

Though we have mentioned many of Invader’s well-thought placements, half of them are just casually placed without context. These mosaics may not follow our said characteristics, but rather scattered around the invaded city without a pattern. Invader is trying to fulfill the objective of the Global Space Invasion, so therefore at times, he takes quantity over quality; especially those that are repetitive with only a change in the color palette.

We are not implying that he is not considering quality, it’s just the process needed to install a mosaic is much harder than we think. It would take a lot of time for every single piece of artwork to be thoroughly thought over and installed.

PA_1414

DJBA_21

Invader's mosaic placements are not arbitrary. They are carefully considered to enhance urban spaces, invite interaction, and enrich cultural dialogue. This strategic approach transforms his mosaics into significant contributions to the urban landscape, distinguishing them from conventional street art. Invader's mosaics are more than just decorative tiles scattered across city walls. They are carefully strategized installations that enrich urban landscapes, engage communities, and celebrate the universal language of video games. By thoughtfully integrating his art into the fabric of the city, Invader not only beautifies public spaces but also inspires a global audience to explore their environment through a new, pixelated lens.

considered factors

thought-out placements

casual placements