Critical Review
Sunset (blue and white) is a signed screen print made by the ground-breaking French street artist Invader in 2018. The print comes in an edition size of 100 and shows an alien character in the centre of the composition. The print also comes in a blue and green iteration, Sunset (blue and green). Invader renders the alien in white against a white backdrop and pulsating blue zig zags surround the creature, making it stand out from the plain backdrop. The streaks of colour imbue the print with a sense of motion and give the impression that the alien is full of energy and power.
The alien depicted in the print is a character from the popular arcade game, Space Invaders, which was made by Japanese game manufacturer Taito in 1978. Invader has drawn much of his artistic inspiration from this arcade game, in fact, the artist’s pseudonym was inspired by the game itself.
As well as producing prints of aliens, Invader is arguably best known for the mosaics of aliens he produces using weather resistant ceramic tiles. Invader has travelled all over the world adorning the streets of bustling cities like Rome and Paris with these mosaics. The artist has produced maps and guide books providing detailed information regarding the exact locations of these mosaics so he can keep an eternal log of them. The maps also encourage people to travel the world to find these artworks, which makes viewing the artworks into a game.
