A world renowned street artist says he was moved by a visit to Belfast’s ‘peace walls’ after sowing a message of togetherness on Stormont lawns.
Swiss-based Frenchman Saype’s ‘Beyond Walls’ project aims to promote global connectivity and sustainability through al fresco art.
Belfast is the fourteenth stop on a tour that has allowed him to make his mark on cities including Paris, Capetown and Venice - if only for a short time.
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Saype told Belfast Live: “This project is called Beyond Walls and the idea is to speak about how it is important to find common solutions in the different issues that we have and to speak about togetherness.
“I started this project in 2019 in front of the Eiffel Tower and then I went to Andora, Geneva, Berlin, Ivory Coast, Turin, Istanbul.. and today we are on the 14th stop.
“What more meaningful place could [include] than Belfast.
“Because of the history we are here in front of a parliament where people sit with each other to find a common solution - it’s exactly the way of my project.
“Only together will we be able to create a bright future, that’s why I chose this place.”
Saype said he visited Belfast’s peace walls on Monday.
“I was very moved because... I can’t understand - peace wall - it’s something to separate people but talks about peace. It’s very strange," he added.
“I can’t understand it but I think we have to overcome this type of thing. We live together in a hyperlinked world - there’s no sense to create barriers. We have to find a common solution.”
The graffiti artist says he hopes his artwork on the Stormont lawns will “inspire people”.
“I love the idea that political people will start to think - and it will be a little drop of water in the ocean.”
Saype sprayed his artwork on the grass using an eco friendly concoction including “chalk and charcoal”.
“This is a real temporary artwork so maybe in 10 days there will be nothing to see any more,” he added.
“What I love about this type of art is that you do something on a huge scale and people will remember something happened there.
“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.”
The piece is now on display at Stormont as part of the Belfast Photo Festival (2-30 June 2022).
Its director, Michael Weir, said the work was two years into the planning and really fits in with their festival.
“This piece is colossal - it’s enormous.
“It’s one of the largest artworks that has ever been presented in Northern Ireland and photography is really at its core as it can only be truly experienced by taking a step back and experiencing it by photograph and video from the drone.”
Chantal Moser, Swiss deputy ambassador to the UK, was also at Stormont to see the artwork unveiled as she tours the UK.
She said: “When we were conceiving this tour throughout the UK we really wanted to come to Northern Ireland and we had this project in mind for some time to bring Saype’s work here to Belfast.
“I think Belfast is a very vibrant and dynamic city with a very interesting cultural scene as we can see with the Belfast Photo Festival.
“I love travelling across Northern Ireland. I love the nature and also the spectacular coastal walks and look forward to my next visit.”
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