Photos: Near UN in Geneva, giant fresco advocates for world without weapons

SAYPE's 12-meter-high 'Broken Chair' symbolises opposition to land mines, cluster bombs

Published: September 12, 2023 16:20 Compiled by Nathaniel Lacsina, Senior Web Editor and with inputs from Reuters

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Geneva: On the square across from the United Nations in Geneva, Swiss-French artist SAYPE has used eco-friendly paint to create a giant fresco intended to draw attention to the plight of civilians in armed conflicts. Image Credit: Reuters

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Working with the Handicap International charity, the 34-year-old painted a gigantic hand on a grass canvas using chalk and coal that, from above, can be seen repairing a huge wooden sculpture known as the Broken Chair. Image Credit: Reuters

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The three-legged Broken Chair, a work by Swiss artist Daniel Berset erected on Place des Nations in 1997, was designed to raise awareness about the impact of landmines on civilians in conflict zones. Image Credit: Reuters

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"The idea was to paint a hand that comes to fix the broken leg," SAYPE told Reuters as he stood near his fresco, which is called "All Of Us". "In my mind, this hand represents the whole world and that we can all get involved and help Handicap International in its fight." Image Credit: Reuters

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Handicap International was founded in 1982 to assist Cambodian refugees who had lost limbs and it co-founded the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) in 1992, which won the Nobel Peace Prize. Image Credit: AFP

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It assists vulnerable populations around the world, including civilians who have lost limbs due to armed conflict. Image Credit: AFP

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"For most of my projects, I try to use art to spread messages," SAYPE said. "I like to say that I impact society without impacting nature." Image Credit: AFP

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SAYPE is mostly known for his "Beyond Walls" series in which he spray painted giant hands clasping each other in cities including Berlin, Istanbul and Cape Town. Image Credit: AFP

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