Gauntlet Gallery — Invader Print Index
Rubik Abbey Road
Summary
Released in 2009 through Jonathan LeVine Gallery, Rubik Abbey Road reworks the Beatles' iconic zebra-crossing photograph entirely from Rubik's Cube facelets. Printed as a 7-color giclée on 350 g/m2 matte paper at 50 x 50 cm, the edition of 50 is signed and numbered. It sits squarely in Invader's Rubikcubism practice, translating a pop-culture touchstone into a grid of primary-colored squares.
Why It Matters
The piece marries two of the most recognizable images in modern culture: the Abbey Road crossing and the Rubik's Cube. By rebuilding a photographic memory from a fixed palette of cube colors, Invader tests how few pixels the eye needs to recognize an icon. Its LeVine Gallery release also anchors it to Invader's key period of U.S. exhibition activity.
Collector Perspective
At an edition of 50, this is one of Invader's tighter Rubikcubism print runs, and the subject gives it crossover appeal beyond street-art circles into Beatles and music-memorabilia collecting. Signed-and-numbered status and the heavyweight 350 g/m2 stock support long-term condition. Collectors should confirm the number, signature, and sheet dimensions against the documented 50 x 50 cm format.
Historical Context
By 2009 Invader had spent years developing Rubikcubism, using the toy's 3x3 grid as a deliberately low-resolution medium long before pixel nostalgia was mainstream. The Jonathan LeVine Gallery, a leading New York champion of street and lowbrow art, provided the platform, situating this print within the gallery-driven legitimization of the movement during that era.
FAQ
What is Rubikcubism?
It is Invader's term for building images from the colored squares of Rubik's Cubes, treating each cube face as a fixed-palette pixel. Rubik Abbey Road applies this technique to the famous Beatles crossing photograph.
How large is the edition?
The print is a signed and numbered edition of 50, making it one of Invader's more limited Rubikcubism releases.
What are its specifications?
It is a 7-color giclée on 350 g/m2 matte paper, sized 50 x 50 cm (about 19 3/4 x 19 3/4 inches), published in 2009 by Jonathan LeVine Gallery.
About the Artist
Invader (born 1969, France) is a pseudonymous French urban artist known for installing mosaic works inspired by 1970s-80s arcade video games, most famously the aliens from Space Invaders. Since the late 1990s he has "invaded" cities worldwide, cementing tile mosaics onto walls and mapping each installation as part of a global game. His studio output extends the pixel aesthetic into prints, "Rubikcubism" works made from Rubik's Cubes, aluminum pieces, and alias-signed editions. He remains anonymous, appearing publicly only masked.
Collecting Invader at Gauntlet Gallery
What Invader works can I collect?
Beyond street mosaics, Invader releases signed, numbered editions — screenprints, giclées, aluminum and Rubikcubism works — plus his "Invasion Kits." Signed and numbered studio editions are the collectible core. Gauntlet Gallery focuses on complete, well-preserved impressions with documentation.
How is an Invader piece authenticated?
We sell Invader works with documented provenance and the edition's signature and numbering. Each piece is photographed exactly as it ships, including signature and edition details, so you can verify before buying.
What drives value?
Medium (unique Rubikcubism and aluminum works over open prints), edition size, iconic imagery, condition, and provenance all shape price. Hand-made and low-numbered pieces command the strongest premiums.