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      Artist Retrospective: Invader

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      French artist Invader began his signature practice in the late 1990s, plastering mosaic Space Invaders, a character from a 1978 Atari game, on the streets of Paris. Joined by Pac-Man ghosts and other popular 8-bit characters, the works soon became a familiar sight in cities around the world, from Los Angeles to Kathmandu.Also known as Space Invader, he is an Urban artist originally based in Paris. Once a work is completed, Invader records it as an “invasion” and creates accompanying maps and reference books to indicate the location of each piece.Los Angeles, California (2018)Invader began his ‘invasion’ in 1998. The Louvre, the Hollywood hill, the walls of Paris, Montpellier (with fellow artist ZEVS), and in random order, Aix-en-Provence, Frankfurt, London, Miami, Hong Kong, Rome, New York, Los Angeles and Vienna, the underwater depths of the Bay of Cancún and outer space with the International Space Station. Twenty years on, he has affixed more than 3,400 mosaics worldwide in over 70 cities.“Going into a city with tiles and cement and invading it,” says anonymous French street artist Invader of his craft. “This is the most addictive game I have ever played.”Versailles, France (2017)“I have never been tempted to reveal my identity,” the artist has said. “What I do and create is more important than who exactly I am.”Below are more of our favorite pieces from Invader around the world (and even in space)!Rabat, Morocco (2017)Malaga, Spain (2017)Darmstadt, Germany (2015)Tanzania (2015)Ravenna, Italy (2014)Tokyo, Japan (2014)Swiss Alps, Anzere, Switzerland (2014)London, UK (2013)Paris, France (2013)Cancun, Mexico (2012)Space Invasion from Miami, Florida (2012)If you want to discover more about Invader visit our Invader Page! More

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      “Data Bees” by Ludo in Paris, France

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      Street artist Ludo is back with a new series of murals in the streets of Paris. His new murals features his iconic “Data Bees” which are decked with protective gas masks and cyber parts.Ludo is known for his hybrid plant-insect-machinery motif. He is often called ‘Nature’s Revenge’ as he connects the world of plants and animals with our technological universe and a quest for modernism. It speaks about what surrounds us, what affects us and tries to highlight some kind of humility.Drawn with the precision of botanical illustrations, Ludo’s new order of hybrid organisms is both elegant and fierce. Armoured vehicles spawn stag beetle horns; carnivorous plants bare rows of hunting-knife teeth; bees hover, hidden behind gas masks and goggles; automatic weapons crown the head of sunflowers; human skulls cluster together like grapes.Ludo’s work aspires to jolt us out of a longstanding collective denial: despite repeated natural disasters, we refuse to acknowledge our own fragile state.Scroll down below to see more photos of “Data Bees” More

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      “Byte the Candy” by Jorge Rodríguez-Gerada in Madrid, Spain

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      Muralist Jorge Rodríguez-Gerada recenlty worked on a new mural entitled “Byte the Candy” for Urvanity 2021 in Madrid, Spain. In this mural, the artist speaks out about our relationship with social media. It’s the first piece created by Gerada which brings his terrestrial land art style to the wall, creating a perfect union of the two aesthetics.In 1984, Neil Postman gave a talk about how we are “Amusing Ourselves to Death”. He criticised how the news we see on television is entertainment, there only to maintain our attention in order to sell advertisement time instead of trying to make us think.Today, we are living something beyond what Neil Postman was warning us about, social media platforms, with a system of algorithms that have no conscience or mercy. These algorithms work incessantly to keep our constant attention to see advertising and propaganda, and in that way become more efficient with the use of personal data, achieving the ability to target advertising that coincides exactly with the profile of interests of each user.Orwell, Huxley and Postman are rolling in their graves, raising their voices from the past when all of this was just a macabre idea, while the artists of the 21st century are complicit, do not denounce or give alternatives.In this portrait I incorporate the “on” button symbol that is ubiquitous in our technological reality, on the portrait of young beauty, to create a visual dialogue and invite contemplation about the possible narratives that the piece may have and how the spectators might see themselves reflected within it.Rodriguez-Gerada’s portraits, performed as murals or as terrestrial interventions that can be seen from space, more than the artist’s mark, reflect other people’s imprints. They are part of a memory that refuses to solely be a passing signal.Although it has always been based in cities, urban art hasn’t always belonged to the citizens. Jorge Rodriguez-Gerada has changed this and has given it a new condition. He has achieved this because his work is not made solely for “urbanites.” Above all, it is truly aimed at the citizenship that is forced to live, and above all, forced to transform the beast that is the City in the 21st century. Photo credits: all pics by Fer Alcalá More

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      “Mirror Land” by Paner in Olsztyn, Poland

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      Street artist Paner is back with his latest abstract mural located in Olsztyn, Poland.Bartek Świątecki’s aka Paner work mixes abstraction and traditional graffiti. High art and youth culture, modernism and skateboarding. His images are based around geometric groupings and angular forms which reference futuristic architectural design.The apparent slickness of Świątecki’s productions is often at odds with the decayed settings the works are placed in. The visual language used in these pieces gives a glimpse in to a brave new world of graffiti and fine art cross over. It’s a world where graffiti writers are as happy to quote from De Stijl as they are Wu Tang.Take a look below for more photos of “Mirror Land” More

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      “Inside” by My Dog Sighs in Portsmouth, England

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      An immersive installation by acclaimed British street artist My Dog Sighs opens this summer in an undisclosed location in Portsmouth. Inside is My Dog Sighs’ most ambitious project to date, transforming a derelict building into an immersive world inhabited by the artist’s own creatures, dubbed his ‘Quiet Little Voices’.Like us, these creatures are not perfect nor are their lives perfect. They struggle, they make mistakes, they fail. But like us too, they don’t give up. Even among the decay they use their creativity to find hope – a powerful message in these turbulent times. Street artists are often perceived as ghosts, with only the results of their endeavours visible to the world.My Dog Sighs takes these creatures, that started life as scribbled doodles in the margins of his sketchbooks and uses them to represent different facets of his life. Replacing himself with these beings as a representation of his inner ‘Quiet Little Voices’, they embody a range of emotions from playful to melancholic.For the first time, My Dog Sighs moves into sculpture, fusing his visual language with light and sound installations, alongside the photorealistic paintings and naive characters that define his practice. No longer is the artist the creator, but his creations take on the mantle of ‘My Dog Sighs’ and as viewers we are welcomed ‘Inside’ the world of these ghosts.The anthropomorphic creatures have been given free rein to take over the multi-storey space, finding shelter and creating their own language amongst the dimly lit corners. Inside responds to the building itself and finds beauty amongst its dilapidated floors and crumbling walls. The project extends My Dog Sighs’ street art practice where he uncovers the beauty of these forgotten spaces and demonstrates the power of creativity to inspire and uplift communities.The artist has worked closely with both sound experts from Portsmouth University and a renowned creative lighting company to create a unique and immersive street art experience.Visitors will be welcomed into the space by trained stewards who can provide insight into the themes explored in Inside. My Dog Sighs will also be leading specialist tours for artists during the exhibition to talk more about his life as a street artist working on both sanctioned and unsanctioned projects.Alongside the installation, My Dog Sighs will be releasing a feature length documentary and book about the project, as well as an educational pack designed to be used by teachers and students around the world. Taking inspiration from Inside, the pack provides young people with the creative tools needed to find hope in difficult situations and shows how they can use art to empower their local communities.Inside will open on the 16th of July and will run until August 1. Tickets will be announced through My Dog Sighs’ mailing list which can be subscribed to on his website www.mydogsighs.co.uk or follow him on Facebook or Instagram for more updates.My Dog Sighs’s style is characterised by the combination of melancholic and often naive portraiture with the use of found materials including abandoned food cans.With an incredible international following in Israel, Japan and of course the UK, five sold out shows under his belt, and a strong following of staunchly loyal fans on social media; My Dog Sighs is fast becoming an important figure on the contemporary art scene.Check out below for more photos of the installations. More

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      “Fight Together with Myanmar” by Headache Stencil

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      Headache Stencil is a street artist from Thailand who has created many works of political art in both national and international contexts. His most recent collection of art on the current situation in his neighbouring country of Myanmar is up for auction as NFTs. Half of the proceeds of the sale of the three pieces will go to the fight for freedom in Myanmar via the Ministry Of International Cooperation (MOIC) and the National Unity Government (NUG), in the hopes of standing in solidarity with Myanmar and serving as an example for other countries oppressed by authoritarian regimes to have hope and continue fighting.Scroll down below to view Headache Stencil’s striking pieces.“The Refugee” – When there is war, damage will occur to the community. Many people who’ve lost their homes and families must flee from death and become refugees. We must never forget that all refugees are also human beings no different from us. We all still feel hunger and suffer from the effects of war. We will not let these people die overlooked by the world.“The People” – The three-finger salute has become the symbol of the fight for democracy in the Southeast Asian region, which has been deemed by the world as a “dictator hub”. Now, the people of the region have awakened to the freedoms and rights they should have, and it’s time to press onwards in the battle.“Beautiful Revolution” – Inspired by the important scene when Miss Universe Myanmar called upon the world to pay attention to the protests and the state-sanctioned killing of civilians in Myanmar, this is one of the world’s most beautiful displays of peace.Headache Stencil is a pseudonymous artist. Dubbed Thailand’s version of the British graffiti artist Banksy, Headache Stencil became famous for his satirical graffiti art depicting the military officials of Thailand who took power in 2014. He says of himself, “I started calling myself Headache Stencil because I knew what I did is going to cause people headaches. I’ve been a troublemaker since I was a kid” More

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      “Plantasia” by Adele Renault in Liège, Belgium

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      Street artist Adele Renault just recently worked on a fresh, new mural located in Liège, Belgium. She is beginning a series entitled “Plantasia” and will be developing into a new solo gallery show focusing on the plant world.Adele Renault is an artist with a deft touch for that which most might find commonplace. From pigeons to people, she focuses her artistry on realistic depictions of ordinary city residents, on canvas as well as massive murals.During her travels she studied visual arts from classical oil painting to modern spray can graffiti, while experimenting with new media and graphic design. Renault graduated in 2010 from the Academie Royale des Beaux Arts in Brussels. She lived an worked in Amsterdam until she relocated to Los Angeles in 2017.Take a look below for more photos of Adele Renault’s latest project. More

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      “Embrace for Landing” by D*FACE in Gothenburg, Sweden

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      British artist D*Face’s latest work is unveiled in Gothenburg, Sweden, as part of the city’s 400th anniversary last May 31st. Urban art organization Artscape, curator behind the mural, sees this as yet another addition to the region’s ever expanding collection of international street art.In the midst of covid lockdowns and restrictions, urban art organisation Artscape has managed to get several of the world’s top street artists to Sweden to make their mark. In May this year nine artists have been invited to Gothenburg as part of the city celebrating 400 years. Among these names is street art veteran D*Face, who is invited to create a mural on the international airport of Landvetter.– 2021 has been another tough year for cultural events. Being able to present a brand new public mural by international heavyweight D*Face feels amazing, says Artscape’s cofounder Daniel Wakeham.London based artist D*Face has been creating pop and punk art inspired works of art since the late 90’s and have paved the way for the urban art movement both in his hometown and globally. His works have been exhibited from Reykjavik to Taipei.His latest mural “Embrace for Landing” faces the main entrance at Landvetter airport, greeting all travelers on arrival. A couple is depicted, held in an embrace and mysteriously looking out into the distance, painted in D*Face’s iconic style.Beside constituting a new cultural landmark, it encompasses an ambitious project initiated by Artscape to unite the region’s vast amount of street art, and promote it as a world leading destination for urban art. Several large-scale projects hosted by both Artscape and local curators in the region have brought a significant number of murals, enough to compete with other international street art cities. The initiative – West Sweden Street Art Trail (WSSAT) – aims to gather the works of artists such as Smug, Dulk and Rone in an easily accessible digital platform and map.What’s happening here in this region is a joint effort by artists, cities and the communities where public art is brought forward to the benefit of everyone. D*Face is one of many artists, both local and international, joining us in this venture to bring art closer to the people, explains Tor Hedendahl, one of Artscapes’ founders.The West Sweden Street Art Trail is just a natural extension of our core idea: to make art accessible to the public, adds Daniel Wakeham.The mural of D*Face was inaugurated on 31 May by Artscape together with the mayors of Gothenburg and Borås, the director of Landvetter airport and the artist himself.Take a look below to see more photos of the project. More