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    “ALL OF US!” by Saype in Geneve, Switzerland

    Handicap International has invited Saype to take part in an unusual artistic operation. The artist created a giant fresco on the Place des Nations using biodegradable paint, in dialogue with Broken Chair’s fight against explosive weapons, entitled “ALL OF US!”A giant eco responsible landart painting by Saype in Place des Nations in Geneva (CH). This artwork was created using natural pigments made out of charcoal and chalk. This artwork represents a hand, symbol of humanity, presenting a new chair leg to the Broken Chair, figure of the numerous civils victims of war bombings.In each of his works, Saype captures the fragility of our societies and the challenges we are all called upon to meet, with the monumental frescoes he creates on grass, earth, sand and snow around the world: New York, Paris, Venice, Geneva, Cape Town, Turin, Dubai, Nairobi, Istanbul, Ouagadougou, Miami, (…)The aim of these frescoes, which are destined to fade away, is to impact mentalities in a way that respects nature. They are painted with an eco-responsible paint composed essentially of chalk and charcoal.Check out below from more photos of Saype’s recent piece. Photo credits: Saype More

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    New Work by Saype in Ibri, Oman

    Switzerland and Oman is celebrating its 50th anniversary of bilateral relations, Switzerland is committed to closer bilateral cooperation in the field of sustainability. As part of the celebration, the Swiss Embassy in Oman invited the Swiss-French graffiti artist Saype to create a giant fresco in Oman. The work of over 10,000 m2 of eco-friendly paint was created in the country’s largest solar power plant in Ibri and symbolises cooperation on a sustainable world for future generations.The artwork in Oman was made on March 11th at the Ibri solar farm, Oman. Energy management is certainly one of the major challenges of our ever-accelerating world. Our contemporary civilization was built on fossil fuels, but today we must look to the future and seek sustainable solutions to keep the earth habitable. It is with the major environmental issues of our time in mind that I chose to paint in one of the largest solar farms in the Middle East (11,3 km²). Being aware that the solution centres around a complex energy mix and in a form of sobriety, I chose to paint this child playing with the magic of solar energy. Looking towards the horizon, he symbolizes the renewal of a civilization that must now reinvent itself to continue to grow without destroying the planet.This year, the Sultanate of Oman and the Swiss Confederation are celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations. The two countries share many commonalities. Not only are both countries committed to promoting peaceful coexistence and tolerance or act as facilitators in conflicts. Switzerland and Oman also share a common commitment to sustainability. Both countries have taken steps to reduce their carbon footprint and set themselves the goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. To reach this goal, it is important to develop innovative solutions that will transform our economy and society. Oman has a huge potential in developing solar and wind power – and Switzerland is leading in developing new technological approaches in the energy and sustainability sector. Hence, marrying the potentials of the two countries will certainly help both to reach their ambitious goals within the Agenda 2050. It, therefore, seemed natural for the Swiss Embassy in Oman to invite the world-renowned artist SAYPE, whose work focuses on these very topics, to come to the Sultanate as part of Switzerland’s contribution to the Oman Sustainability Week and express this special relationship between the two countries through one of SAYPE’s ephemeral artwork.Self-taught artist, Saype is known today for his paintings on grass, made with eco-responsible paint. Certainly one of the most publicized artists in 2019, he was notably named by the famous magazine Forbes as one of the thirty most influential personalities under the age of thirty in the world, in the field of art and Culture. In 2012, just a nurse, challenged by the revolt of the Arab Spring, Saype questions the meaning of our existence and our place in society. He begins to paint scenes in the subway in black and white, where people crowd daily, in an underground greyness well known to our megalopolises. While Saype explores a rather introspective workshop work, he has been developing a new artistic approach since 2012. Based on the premise that graffiti is diluted in the pollution of our current societies, and that, by extension, no one has any regard for them, Saype seeks to find a new way to appeal to people.Influenced by his readings, his questions as well as the democratization of drones in Europe which gives him easy access to aerial views, he began to paint on the grass. He then invented a 100% biodegradable paint and perfected a process which enabled him to create gigantic frescoes on the ground. He is now considered a pioneer of a new land art movement. Since then, these frescoes travel around the world, with a concern to appeal to people and society, minimizing their impact on nature. Its main objective is to put its art at the service of the human being, always with a concern for optimism and in a poetic way. In 2018, his self-funded project, in support of the SOS Mediterranean association, carried out in the heart of Geneva, had a considerable media impact since it was seen all over the world and by 120 million people. Following this popular impulse, the Swiss confederation proposed a pavilion for the association’s boat, then blocked on the ground and caught in the European political turmoil around migration.With this experience and this ability to mobilize thanks to his art, in 2019, Saype embarked on a project of global scope. His Ambition: To symbolically create the largest human chain in the world. This pharaonic project called “Beyond Walls”, over several years aims to pass in more than 30 cities of the world, to invite people to mutual aid, and kindness and to live together. Begun in June 2019 at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, on the Champ de Mars closed to the public for the first time in its history, for two weeks for the event, this fresco has once again left its mark. Supported by the famous British daily newspaper The Guardian which devoted 3 magazine covers to it throughout June, relayed by several hundred media and inaugurated by the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, this work has been seen by 500 million people around the world.Take a look at more images below and check back with us for more updates. More

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    “Beyond Walls” by Saype in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    For the fifteenth stage of the global artwork “Beyond Walls” in Rio de Janeiro, Saype strives to bridge the impassable distance between Benin (tenth stage of the project) and Brazil. Thus allowing those who left across the ocean never to return, to feel again the desperate embrace of those who saw them drift away forever… from African origin to American destination, from light to night, from freedom to slavery.The giant eco responsible landart paintings by Saype were created on the Estàcio favela (825m2) and Copacabana beach (1.500m2). These two artworks were created using natural pigments made out of charcoal and chalk. “Beyond Walls”  global project aims to links more than 30 cities over the world to promote the message of togetherness. Beyond walls erected by people between people, Saype went to meet the local communities in the Estacìo favela.Between the postcard image of Copacabana, which nevertheless bears the tragic marks of history, and the favela, the gigantic hands of “Beyond Walls” strive to overcome the fractures of the past as well as those that are still very present. They remind us that it is only through cooperation that walls fall down and that the universal becomes a reality: “the universal is the local minus the walls” (Miguel Torga).In an increasingly polarised world, the artist chooses to paint symbolically the largest human chain in the world, inviting us to embrace kindness and togetherness, this is the “Beyond Walls” project. Pairs of hands, which intertwine and travel from town to town, and form a giant chain painted on the ground symbolising union, mutual aid, and common effort beyond walls.Check out below for more photos of “Beyond Walls” project in Rio de Janeiro. Photo credits: Saype More

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    “Beyond Walls” by Saype in Belfast, Ireland

    Swiss-based French graffiti artist Saype’s worldwide ‘Beyond Walls’ Project extends its symbolic human links to Northern Ireland. The gigantic, bio-degradable lawn fresco of intertwined hands will be displayed at the Stormont Estate from 14 June 2022, as part of the Belfast Photo Festival (2-30 June 2022).Giant biodegradable landart painting by French-Swiss artist Saype from the Beyond Walls project on Saturday June 11, 2022 in front of the Parliament Buildings (Stormont, Belfast). The artwork is extended over an area of 45 by 240 meters. Created using biodegradable pigments made of charcoal and chalk, the artwork will fade away with the growth of the grass.The gigantic artwork is part of the Belfast Photo Festival (2-30 June 2022) with support by the Embassy of Switzerland in the United Kingdom. (Saype)The hands of people from Belfast are the photographic base of the artworks, advocating solidarity, dialogue and friendship beyond geographical and societal constraints around the world. Belfast will join some 30 cities across five continents which have participated in the large-scale art installation, with previous iterations appearing in Ouagadougou, Paris, Geneva, Dubai and many other locations.Michael Weir, Director of the Belfast Photo Festival, says: “Saype’s artworks are best perceived by drone, a lens in the sky, opening up questions about how we access an art piece, even when the vantage point is out of our physical reach. Due to the fleeting lifespan of his art, photography is an integral part of the process, capturing the tangible presence and preserving its message for people to enjoy, even when the physical piece has long disappeared.”Saype is renowned as a pioneer of an artistic movement linking street art and land art. His approach and innovative technique earned him global recognition as his poetic and ephemeral works travel around the world to impact minds and spark conscious dialogue. He is committed to eco-friendly methods in his art: “One of my aims is to not only shed light on issues of social transformation but to promote eco-friendly and sustainable methods of creating art through respecting nature.”Swiss Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Markus Leitner, says: “Saype’s message of global connectivity and sustainability is part of a number of activities we are organizing and supporting in the context of the Embassy’s #WeAreSwitzerland tour of the United Kingdom. Through this initiative we will connect with Swiss citizens, companies, artists and researchers in the UK and will forge new synergies with our local partners in politics, science, business and culture across all nations of the United Kingdom throughout the month of June.”The ‘Beyond Walls’ Project is accessible to the public from 14 June 2022 for around two to three weeks.Scroll down below for more photos of the project.Photo credit: Saype More

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    “Beyond Walls” by Saype in Venice, Italy

    Artist and innovator Saype presents his new creation, making Venice part of his Beyond Walls global human chain. The work, which is sailing through the Serenissima on the occasion of the Biennale Art, has been unveiled on April 21.Giant biodegradable landart painting by French-Swiss artist Saype from the Beyond Walls project on Friday April 15, 2022 on a floating barge in Venice, Italy. Extending over an area of 8 by 30 meters this fresco was created using biodegradable pigments made out of charcoal, chalk, water and milk proteins. The piece will travel in and around Venice and will be unveiled during the Biennale Arte 2022 59th International Art Exhibition. (Valentin Flauraud for Saype)An exhibition dedicated to Beyond Walls is held at Torre di Porta Nuova dell’Arsenale Nord. To open the exhibition, Karole Vail, Director of the Peggy Guggenheim Museum, and Francesca Lavazza, Board member of the Lavazza Group, will join Saype for a meeting entitled “Art and Sustainability”, a paradigm that perfectly sums up the ephemeral and striking nature of the artist’s work.  “Beyond Walls” is a monumental project launched by Saype based on a premise: the world is polarized, a part of the population has chosen to withdraw into itself. However, Saype underlines it:“I am deeply convinced that it is together that humanity will be able to respond to the different challenges it will have to overcome“.It is from this conviction that the desire was born to share a positive message of mutual aid and common effort throughout the world by symbolically creating the largest human chain ever made in the world.The project started in 2019 from Paris, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, and travels the world from city to city with the ambition to cross the 5 continents and connect people from all over the world.Saype creates monumental frescoes on grass, earth, sand and snow. Inventor of an eco-responsible painting, he is recognized as the pioneer of an artistic movement that jointly honors street art and landart. His innovative approach and technique earned him a 2019 Forbes Magazine nomination as one of the thirty most influential people under thirty in art and culture. New York, Paris, Geneva, Cape Town, Turin, Dubaï, Nairobi, Istanbul, Ouagadougou, Miami, (…) his poetic and ephemeral works travel around the world to impact mentalities in respect of nature.Take a look below for more photos of the project. More

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    “Beyond Walls” by SAYPE in Cape Town, South Africa

    In the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic, as South Africa is in the international spotlight, French-Swiss artist Saype chooses to present a fraternal vision in three neighbourhoods in Sea Point, in the city of Cape Town. The current crisis reinforces Saype’s optimistic will to present these universal frescos of benevolence and togetherness.

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    Three frescoes were created using approximately 1000 liters of biodegradable pigments made out of charcoal, chalk, water and milk proteins. The “Beyond Walls” project aims at creating the largest symbolic human chain around the world.

    In Cape Town this step was motivated by the country’s persisting need for reunification. Three frescoes representing widely different populations and realities within the city were created in Sea Point (6000 Sq. m), the Philippi township (800 Sq. m) and the Langa township (800 Sq. m).
    Cape Town, warmly known as the Mother City, represents the ninth stage of the global artistic project “Beyond Walls” initiated by Saype in June 2019 in Paris. South Africa is a country rich in culture and ethnic diversity bound by the spirit of Ubuntu (togetherness). In these unprecedented times, and while the whole world battles the effects and impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, increased political polarization and economic hardships, this spirit of Ubuntu is exactly what is needed. Striving to recover from the dark time of apartheid, South Africa constitutes a crucial milestone for “Beyond Walls”.

    The gigantic painted hands symbolize the reconciliation, a pillar of Nelson Mandela’s ethos. They intertwine beyond inequalities, created in fundamentally different areas of the city.  Saype hopes that art may be a modest contribution to reunite a city whose historic scars have not yet healed.
    This step is carried out in fruitful collaboration with the Embassy of Switzerland in South Africa, the International Public Art Festival, Baz-Art and the City of Cape Town.

    Self-taught, Saype is known today for his paintings on grass, made with eco-responsible paint. Certainly one of the most publicized artists in 2019, he was notably named by the famous magazine Forbes as one of the thirty most influential personalities under the age of thirty in the world, in the field of art and Culture.
    Check out below for more images of SAYPE’s “Beyond Walls”.

    Photo credits: Valentin Flauraud More