Saype’s coronavirus-themed grass graffiti crowns the Swiss Alps
The artwork covers 3,000 square meters and was produced with biodegradable paints made from natural pigments such as coal and chalk.
Keystone / Valentin Flauraud
A French artist known for massive works of graffiti on grass best seen from the air presented his latest piece on Sunday in the Swiss Alps – a coronavirus-related picture of a girl looking towards the horizon.
The artist Saype, whose real name is Guillaume Legros, has painted his temporary, biodegradable images on lawns from Yamoussoukro in Ivory Coast to the Champ de Mars next to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, often depicting children or a close-up of two people’s hands gripping each other’s forearms
“Beyond crisis”, his new work on a clearing in the Swiss resort town of Leysin, shows a girl sitting, completing a chain of stick figures holding hands. “The fresco of more than 3,000 square metres evokes the building of a world with more solidarity and more humanity,” Saype said in a statement quoted by Reuters news agency.External link
“There are several levels of reading but the main idea is to challenge the world that will follow after the crisis, on the importance of all looking in the same direction ”, Saype told the Swiss news agency Keystone-SDA. “As with my other works, I want to convey an optimistic vision, a certain idea of living together.”
“Beyond Crisis” was carried out on the private land of a farmer at the Prafandaz pass, which overlooks Lake Geneva. Saype used his usual paint, namely a 100% biodegradable product based ion chalk and charcoal. The lifespan of his work will depend on the weather and the regrowth of the grass.
“I estimate it between two weeks to a month,” the artists told Keystone-SDA.
In 2019, Saype was listed by ForbesExternal link among the 30 most influential European personalities under the age of 30 in field of art and culture.
Popular Stories
More
Multinational companies
Azeri fossil-fuel cash cow brings controversy to Switzerland
Swiss price watchdog slams excessive prices for generic medicines
This content was published on
The cheapest generic medicines available in Switzerland are more than twice as expensive as in other countries, according to a study by the Swiss price watchdog.
Nature should not figure in net zero calculations: academic study
This content was published on
The natural removal of CO2 from the atmosphere by forests or oceans should not be included in the net-zero balance of climate protection measures, argue researchers.
This content was published on
None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.
This content was published on
Nestlé's new CEO Laurent Freixe, has presented plans for the future of the world's largest food company, after his first few weeks in office.
Swiss foreign minister calls on Moscow to end Ukraine war
This content was published on
It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis tells the UN Security Council.
This content was published on
The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.
Study reveals food culture differences between Switzerland and neighbours
This content was published on
Three-quarters of Swiss people consider eating to be a pleasurable, social activity, a new survey reveals. Healthy eating, however, plays a much less important role, it found.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss researchers join forces to prevent mask shortages
This content was published on
Dozens of researchers have joined forces to equip Switzerland with enough masks to confront the coronavirus and future pandemics.
This content was published on
Over a decade ago, she left her home in the Lucerne countryside to study jazz in the United States. Today, the vocalist and composer lives in Boston and teaches at her alma mater, the Berklee College of MusicExternal link. Martina tries to mix her Swiss yodelling roots with jazz, soul, RnB, gospel and blues. Her latest album, Homage…
This content was published on
A beacon of hope? Light pollution? The nightly displays on an Alpine peak are entertaining virtual visitors while worrying conservationists.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.