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Space Invader is the pseudonym of a renowned French street artist celebrated for his pixelated mosaics inspired by the 8-bit video games of the 1970s and 80s. Taking his name from the iconic 1978 arcade game Space Invaders, his signature works are crafted from square ceramic tiles, echoing the nostalgic charm of early digital graphics.
Invader has made it his lifelong mission to “invade” the world with his art and he’s succeeded. His mosaics can be found in cities across the globe, from Paris to London and beyond and can be tracked here. Fans can even track his urban invasions in real-time using the FlashInvader app.
But Earth wasn’t enough. With his global takeover well underway, Invader set his sights even higher and launched a mosaic into space, marking the first-ever street art piece aboard the International Space Station.
ATV-5 liftoff with Space2 on board on Ariane-5 from ESA’s Spaceport in Kourou, 29 July 2014 : Photo – ESA–S. Corvaja space invader
His chosen destination? The International Space Station (ISS) is a fitting frontier for an artist whose work has always looked to the stars. This historic “space invasion” was made possible in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA). On July 29, 2014, one of Invader’s mosaic pieces launched into orbit aboard ATV-5 Georges Lemaître, the final flight of the European Automated Transfer Vehicle program.
The artwork travelled more than 400km above Earth’s surface, floating in zero gravity inside the ISS for several months. It was eventually installed by ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti (@AstroSamantha), marking the moment Invader’s pixelated creations officially left the planet on a spaceship and making him the first street artist to invade outer space with a space invader.
Titled “Space2”, the mosaic was a direct follow-up to a previous piece, “Space1” for ART4SPACE 2012. This celestial sequel became both a conceptual and literal extension of his mission to spread art beyond borders, even the atmospheric kind.
iss International Space Station and the Columbus module : Photo – NASA space invader
Space2, last tests before leaving : Photo – ESA space invader
Space2, last tests before leaving : Photo – ESA space invader
Space2, last tests before leaving : Photo – ESA space invader
On this morning of March 12th, 2015, the mission was officially completed and Invader’s mosaic was successfully installed on the European Columbus module of the International Space Station, marking a historic moment in both street art and space exploration.
“I would have never imagined that my Space Invaders project might take me that high.
What looked like an unreachable dream has come true as Space2 is the first space invader ever installed on a spaceship among real astronauts living in zero gravity and with Earth and the universe as a background ! Art, Science, space conquest : a great move !” Invader
SPACE2 in the Columbus module of the ISS : Photo – ESA:NASA space invader
Bring the Invasion Home
Ready for your own Space Invader invasion at home? 🎮👾 Check out our store for original Invader artworks and collectibles. If you’re hunting for that elusive piece, feel free to contact us and we can help track it down and add the perfect pixelated masterpiece to your collection.