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Space Invader Invades World of Wonder

Sunday, August 10, 2008 02:23 AM

tags: Art, World of Wonder Storefront Gallery

Text and photos by Thairin Smothers:

Space Invader arrives at the World of Wonder Storefront Gallery masked and with a G4 film crew, and Project Runway's Santino Rice (a judge on the upcoming RuPaul's Drag Race) checks out the soles of Invader's original-design shoes.

Invader, I Am 8-Bit's Derek Puleston, Santino Rice, and I Am 8-Bit's Jon Gibson

The tag-tiling begins two stories up on the World of Wonder building on Hollywood Boulevard. This is the first time Invader has done two tiles at once in the same spot

Two floors up and a stretch for tile

Done

All good in a night's work

The "I Am 8-Bit" show opens in the World of Wonder Storefront Gallery on Thursday, August 14, with a reception starting at 8PM.

Who is Invader and what does it all mean?

Info on Space Invader from Jon Gibson, founder of I Am 8-Bit:

A very prolific artist from the pop art scene, INVADER, just so happens to be in town this week from Paris. He is like Banksy – elusive, mysterious, completely anonymous. No one really knows his true identity. Basically, he “invades” cities with his art, skirting the museums and galleries, taking to the streets. He applies tiled characters (the “invaders”) and places them throughout the town. Some high, some low, some in very unexpected spots. Later, he produces books/maps of every location he’s hit. They become tourist attractions – kind of a Where’s Waldo of art.

Why are we telling you all this? We’ve been sending INVADER care packages and love letters for the last 5 months, trying to convince him to contribute to the I AM 8-BIT show. It was a hell of a time even getting him to respond. Well, not only has he agreed to contribute, he’s agreed to permanently place one of his pieces onto the WOW building. This is significant for a variety of reasons:

1) INVADER doesn’t like to be “invited” to do things, but he’s made an exception.
2) INVADER is super-duper famous in the art circle. It’s like having Banksy on your building for the world to see, but never to touch (because it’d be high up).
3) The art world, in general, will pay more attention to the WOW Storefront Gallery, and RESPECT it. Since the art scene is such a snooty, pretentious mess sometimes, this is pretty rad.

– Jon & Derek