Biodegradable Land Art by Artist Saype

land artist saype

Artist Saype, one of European Forbes 30 under 30 in Arts and Culture this year, has his work featured as the month of January/February in this year’s prestigious Lavazza Calendar. The eye-catching aerial image of a giant piece of land art in the calendar, whose theme was Good To Earth, is how I first learned of the artist.

Land Art by Artist Saype

Land Art by Artist Saype
Un Grand Homme, Leysin (Switzerland), 2016

Saype’s land art (some call them “Grass Murals”)  is but one of his multiple creative talents. He’s a hyperrealist painter whose images of finger graffiti on fogged up windows are worthy of a post all their own, a photographer and much more. We don’t often feature land art on this blog, so for that reason we chose to focus on that particular genre.

saype land artist
Saype working in Colombia, photo: Ami Vitale for Lavazza

Saype’s large scale pieces are made using 100% biodegradable paint which he prepares himself and often interact with the natural or architectural environment. The messages are always, in some way or another, to respect and protect the planet and its inhabitants be them human or creature.

Story of the Future, Rocher de Naye (Switzerland), 2017

A Message For The Future, Geneva, Switzerland, 2018

land art

For the City of Geneva in conjunction with SOS Mediterranée, a maritime-humanitarian organization, Saype’s 5000m2 installation of a little girl playing with a paper boat (an actual boat sculpture off the coast) represents a welcome to all migrants and refugees.

These great photos courtesy of Studio Ana Dapuzzo on Twitter really give you a sense of the scale of the piece:

Take Care For Future, Huila, Colombia, 2018
saype installations

The 2019 Lavazza Calendar, whose theme was Good to Earth, featured Saype’s “Take Care For Future” land art featuring an image of a little girl named Maria Paula cupping her hands around three standing trees. The deceivingly large artwork, photographed by nature and land photographer Ami Vitale, was made with biodegradable paints in Huila, Colombia and is used for the Calendar’s Jan/Feb.

What legacy? Vevey (Switzerland), 2018
saype art in pool

artist saype decorated pool

Ecology as a tradition, Voronezh (Russia), 2018

Present by Future, Eurockéennes Land Art Festival, Belfort (France), 2018
terra artist

Story of the Future, Rocher de Naye (Switzerland) – 2017

L’avenir, Kufa’s Urban Festival (Luxembourg), 2017

The 2017 International VW Festival in Château-d’Oex, Switzerland
Saype created this 4200m2 artwork of a Volkswagen Camper Van using over 400 liters of biodegradable paint made from natural pigments, water and a milk protein for the 20th International VW festival.

vw bus land art

Un Grand Homme, Leysin (Switzerland), 2016, (10,000m2)

Be sure to look at his other work on his website here

Saype on Facebook

Unless otherwise noted, all photos are courtesy of the Artist