The Invader

For those of you who are oldschool enough and you are aware of the impact ATARI had not only on video games but on other cultures as well, then im sure ure going to dig this one. Invader is the name behind the pixelated alien that appears in mosaic tiles in walls all over the world from New York and London to Paris and Tokyo. Invader himself got involved in many different projects before coming up with the ATARI character, but as time went by it was more than obvious that this was his biggest hit as it seemed to fit in all different urban environments. The reason Invader chose that specific image was because he was attracted to the appeal of the early forms of videogames and how that technology no matter how basic it was, had the power to push conceptual boundaries. The choice of working with tiles, instead of spray cans or paint brushes which can be quite temporary, was what made Invader's work time resistant and offered longevity which other art forms struggle to achieve. Nevertheless even himself has admitted that he doesnt expect his work to hang in there forever. Moving beyond mosaics Invader even used pieces from the Rubik's cube for his pixelated works believing that it was some kind of a logical evolution for what he did since he could work in a three dimensional space that way, creating 3D sculptures from Rubik's pieces. That specific concept was brought to life at a gallery show at Newcastle's Baltic Mill where Invader created a giant stained-glass window of the ATARI character which is constantly re-invented. Invader also sells DIY projects of his own as art editions for fans in order for them to collect and put on in their homes and has even created trainers with the space invaders logo imprinted on each sole.