BEYOND WALLS: Saype Continues his Peace Work in Japan as a Prelude to the G7 summit in Hiroshima, 2023

French-Swiss artist Saype created four giant landart paintings from April 22 nd to May 14 th, 2023, pursuing his world-wide work “Beyond Walls” in Japan. Four artworks in four different cities design the 17 th step of his worldwide project.

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.

The enormous human chain connects for the first time the Far East, just a few days before the G7 summit in Hiroshima. Four murals for a major milestone in a country deeply marked by history, which knows better than any other the price of war and the value of peace. As the last witnesses of the tragedies of the last century are disappearing, Saype becomes their spokesperson, at the invitation of the United Voices movement, to transmit to future generations a powerful message of peace and solidarity. Okinawa, Nagasaki, Fuji and Tokyo have been chosen to welcome an ephemeral artwork enlarging the largest human chain in the world. The artworks were created using naturals pigments made out of charcoal & chalk.

Okinawa – 3250m 2

It is at the Okinawa Peace Memorial that Saype created his first Beyond Walls mural in Japan. A fragile and ephemeral work, just a few steps away from the graves of soldiers of all nationalities who fought on the only battlefield on Japanese territory. Although decades have passed since this battle, the archipelago remains of crucial strategic importance.

Nagasaki – 1875m 2

Ending the war, but at what cost? Nagasaki is both the epicenter of human madness and the incredible hope of the survivors of inhumanity. This mural, a symbol of transmission, reminds us that memory is the best ally of peace.

Fuji – 3000m 2
It is undoubtedly the most iconic place in Japan. By marking this symbol of eternity with his ephemeral work, which sees humanity passing by its foot, Saype puts our place on Earth and our priorities into perspective.

Tokyo – 800m 2

It was unthinkable for Saype’s human chain not to pass through Tokyo. Here, tradition meets modernity in a cultural and human effervescence like no other. A megalopolis as serene as it is immense, Tokyo is writing history before our eyes, in the shadow of its past.

The symbolic human chain was launched in the city of love, Paris and then travelled to Engolasters in Andorra. Saype then stepped into Geneva, Switzerland. Step 4 took the human chain to Berlin, step 5 to Ouagadougou, step 6 to Yamoussoukro and Step 7 to Turin. Step 8 sees Saype link Europe to Asia via Istanbul. Step 9 crosses three neighbourhoods in Cape Town. After a year disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Saype creates step 10 in Benin. His 11th step in Dubai, a secret 12th step, his 13th step in Venice , 14th step in Belfast, his 15th step in Rio de Janeiro. 16th step and now his 17th step in Japan the immense human chain connects East Asia for the first time, just days before the G7 summit in Hiroshima.

Photo Credit SAYPE

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