Invader

A pioneer of contemporary street art, Invader remains one of the best-loved figures on Lazarides' artist roster. The artist's mini-mosaics, inspired by the landmark 1978 arcade game Space Invaders, are among the most recognisable examples of the genre.

 

The artist "invades" cities worldwide, adroitly placing his tiled pieces in certain locations and awarding himself "points" based on the intricacy of the mural and the difficulty in placing it. "This," he said in 2011, "is the most addictive game I have ever played". He works without permission the vast majority of the time. The deeply personal, large-scale aspect of this ongoing artistic exercise can be likened to the psychogeographical experiments of fellow French artist Guy Debord. Invader's use of low culture in a high art conceptual project also has parallels with the Situationist movement in general. The invasions don't simply descend upon major cosmopolises, but also far-flung exotic locales such as Mombasa and Katmandu. In a metaphorical sense, his forces have razed his home city of Paris to the ground. The mosaics adorn each letter of the Hollywood sign and one has even materialised on the suit jacket lapel of former French Premier Jacques Chirac.