Giant intertwining hands have been painted onto the lawn of the Stormont Estate in Belfast. From French-Swiss artist Saype the unique lawn art work has been created using special bio-degradable pigments. Representing solidarity, dialogue and friendship it’s location couldn’t be more appropriate.
Beyond Walls
Covering an area of 45 x 240 square metres the lawn art is massive. Much of Saype’s artwork is so big that it’s only really ever meant to be seen from the air. Coming to Stormont as part of the Belfast Photo Festival it is also part of a wider series of works called ‘Beyond Walls‘. That project has seen Saype create interlinking hand murals in a number of other locations across the world.
Charcoal and Chalk
The special mixture used to create the effect is made from charcoal and chalk. Eventually the image just fades away with the growth of the grass. Belfast is just one of around 30 cities across the world where Saype has been painting these giant pieces of lawn art. The Beyond Walls project is really about connection and doing so beyond geographical and societal constraints.
Saype at Stormont
Saype himself is renowned as a pioneer of this type of land art. The innovative technique used to create the work in Stormont is instantly noticeable. Taking a lot from street art he has re-purposed the medium. Consciously using his work to spark a dialogue. One of the aims he says 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 ‘Beyond Walls’ Project is accessible to the public and will be displayed at the Stormont Estate from 14 June 2022 for around two to three weeks. It has been supported by the Belfast Photo Festival, the Swiss Embassy in the UK and the Stormont Estate
Saype at Stormont Gallery
