space invader

this piece is by the street artist, space invader, or simply, invader (http://www.space-invaders.com/) i have been lucky enough to have seen 3 of his raw pieces out in the streets of NYC, and recently had the chance to see some of his newer work in a gallery setting for the first time. Top 10 is currently on display at the jonathan levine gallery in manhatten (along with work by wk interact http://www.jonathanlevinegallery.com/), and this piece is part of the show along with his newer works which are made entirely with rubik's cubes. the entire concept of invader's work is something i just love...to not only give a nod to the past with the obvious 1970s/early 1980s video game imagery (who doesnt' love that, really?), but to literally anonymously "invade" a public space. to transform a wall, a building, a bridge, from something ordinary, to an urban canvas...an art statement right in the middle of the chaos of the modern city. it's such a simple-yet powerful- idea/statement. it was definately nice to be able to go to a specific and planned destination and see it first hand, though something about it felt a bit sterile due to the lack of suprise i feel when i happen upon an invasion out on the street. as mentioned before, i've seen 3 pieces in the street, and i will never forget how excited i was when i randomly looked high up on a building and saw my first one (on wooster street in lower manhatten in 2004). i had read about invader a few months prior but thought i'd never get to see his work first hand. imagine my suprise to see that little "ghost" (as a friend of mine used to call them) peering silently down upon the street below; i took many a friend to see that spot until it was removed. while i certainly enjoyed being able to see invader's work up close and to look at the simple genius at eye level (all of the ones i've seen on the street have been at least 15 feet off the ground), i still love the feeling of almost chasing him to see his work and the shock of suprise i sitll get when i see that tiny bit of magic pop up in the most random of places.

[i previously posted about invader in sept 2008]