Invader takes over Le Musée en Herbe in Paris for an exhibition entitled Hello, My Game Is, with over 100 new works on show. The first exhibition of Invader's work in Paris since 2011, the title refers to the "nametag" stickers, popular in the graffiti scene, with a twist on the name to emphasize the playfulness of the work, as Hello, My Game Is… seeks to engage with the inner child within us all.
Invader explains – ‘I have myself often drawn inspiration from the world of childhood. Besides, who other than an adult with a child’s soul could devote his life to invading the world with video game characters? Also, this exhibition is very close to my heart because children represent the future. Education and dialogue with children are the key to a good future for humanity and tomorrow’s world.’
Since the creation of the Flash Invader app many years ago, which involves hunting down his street pieces across the world, the level of engagement with his work has been deepened with 13,000 registered users to date.
Entering the museum, the first room references both video games such as Pac-Man and Q*bert, and characters from children’s animation, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Miyazaki’s Ponyo, which has inspired his work. People from all ages are invited to try and play the infamous arcade games.
A large-scale interactive map of the world shows the 67 cities he has invaded over the course of the last 20 years, as well as lifesize ‘alias’ mosaics that have been installed across the world, including the one on the International Space Station. Invader is the only artist to have work on view in outer space.
The Rubicubism room is a nod to the 80’s Rubik’s Cubes game. Rubikcubism pieces on display include Disney characters, like Peter Pan, who previously appeared in his work labeled PA_1085. This particular piece in the exhibition is made from 1,320 Rubik’s Cubes, making it his largest such piece to date.
A magnet wall allows children, both young and old, to create and remake their own 8-bit inspired creations. The last room presents works on paper, as well as a series of masks used during Invader’s streets interventions, and a glimpse of the artist’s studio.
For all Flash Invader fans eager to top up their score, the most recent mosaic has been placed inside the museum. A 40-page book containing games and stickers published by Casterman also accompanies the exhibition. Hello my game is… will run from Monday to Sunday (10am to 7pm; 9pm on Thursdays) from 26th January to 3rd September at 23 rue de l’Arbre-Sec, 75001 Paris.
Via StreetArtNews