Franck Slama, the anonymous French street artist known worldwide as Invader, has filed a federal lawsuit against Julien Auctions' parent company, alleging copyright infringement, theft, and violations of visual artists' rights. The legal action centers on 15 original pixelated mosaic artworks that were allegedly stolen from their installation sites around the world without the artist's knowledge or consent. According to court documents filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California on September 24, each of the stolen works appears to have been noticeably damaged, mutilated, or distorted during their removal.
The disputed artworks span more than two decades of Invader's career, with the oldest piece dating back to October 2000 when it was installed in Paris. Two of the ceramic tile mosaics were originally placed in Tokyo, Japan, in 2014, while five others were installed across various locations in France as recently as last November. These pieces are part of Invader's ongoing "Space Invaders" series, an ambitious global project that began in 1998 and has grown to include more than 4,000 artworks installed in urban locations across 87 different countries and territories, including one piece on the International Space Station.
Despite Invader's demands that the items be removed from auction and returned to him, Julien Auctions proceeded to list all 15 works as part of their "Street Art: Paint & Pavement" sale scheduled for September 25. The auction also featured works by other prominent street artists including Banksy and Shepard Fairey. However, when ARTnews checked the auction's webpage on September 25, all listings attributed to Invader had been removed following legal intervention.
The court granted Invader's request for a restraining order on September 25, effectively halting the sale of the disputed works. Attorney Scott Alan Burroughs, representing Slama, expressed satisfaction with the court's decision in an email statement. "We are pleased that the Court granted Invader's restraining order request and paused this auction of items that appear to be infringing, purloined, or both," Burroughs said. "We had reached out to Julien's prior to the auction to discuss the matter but they ignored those entreaties, essentially forcing us to take them to court. We look forward to ensuring that Invader's rights as an artist are recognized and enforced."
Julien Auctions defended their position through co-founder and executive director Martin Nolan, who issued a statement emphasizing the auction house's commitment to authenticity and transparency. "Julien's Auctions has proudly been a disruptor in the contemporary and street art market for over two decades, always working in partnership with artists, estates, and collectors to present authentic works with transparency and integrity," Nolan stated. He argued that "street art, by its very nature, is created in public spaces and its ownership is transferred to those who lawfully acquire it," while maintaining that the auction house "would never offer any work without proper consent, provenance, or partnership."
According to the court filing, Invader "has never sold or otherwise authorized the transfer of the Invader Artworks to anyone and remains the sole author and owner of all the works and the copyrights therein." This assertion challenges the common assumption about street art ownership and highlights the complex legal questions surrounding unauthorized removal of public art installations.
The case draws attention to Invader's unique position in the art world, where his technically illegal installations have gained official support in France. The artist garnered additional international attention last year when he debuted a new work during the 2024 Paris Olympics. Despite his work being considered vandalism under French law, he enjoys backing from French officials, with reports indicating that Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has an Invader piece displayed in her office. This lawsuit may set important precedents for how street artists' intellectual property rights are protected in the growing market for urban art.
