'Beyond Crisis': French artist sends message of hope through grass graffiti in Swiss Alps

Created by French artist Saype, the graffiti fresco measures 3,000 square metres and was made with biodegradable paint

Saype's 'Beyond Crisis' work in the Swiss Alps. Via @saype_artiste / Instagram

The works of Saype are best seen from above. Known for creating large-scale graffiti on grass, the French artist, whose full name is Guillaume Legros, completed his most recent project high up in the Swiss Alps.

Created in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the breathtaking work entitled Beyond Crisis shows a young girl with a paper doll chain looking out over the horizon in the Swiss town of Leysin.

“During these times of pandemic, a majority of the world population is confined. Although we are all affected, we live different challenges or struggles and I choose to paint this fresco… close to home to share with you an optimistic message and a breath of fresh air,” Saype said in an Instagram post when he shared the finished work on Monday.

The graffiti spans 3,000 square metres in size and was created with biodegradable paint.

Saype has produced numerous land art graffiti using biodegradable material in the past. His Beyond Walls project, which illustrates a pair of hands linked together in unity, has travelled to Paris, Berlin, Yamoussoukro in the Ivory Coast, and Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso.

The self-taught artist, who lives and works in Switzerland, has also explored scenes of urban life in his series Mornings Are a One-Way Journey. In these acrylic paintings on plexiglas, Saype depicts long train journeys, where listless passengers in monochrome are contrasted with colourful graffiti tags.