Monumental “Beyond Walls” Project by World-renowned Artist Saype Coming to Boom Island Park in June

Beyond Walls began on the Champ de Mars in front of the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris, France in June 2019.

Minneapolis will be the first city in the United States to host Beyond Walls, which has traveled to 21 cities on four continents since 2019, including next to the Eiffel Tower and most recently, the Pyramids of Giza. It will feature a massive, ephemeral artwork depicting giant, intertwined hands painted with biodegradable natural pigments on the park’s expansive riverfront lawn beginning June 1.

Minneapolis welcomes internationally acclaimed artist Saype, who brings his monumental land art project Beyond Walls to Boom Island Park in June.

This will be the first United States installation of the globally recognized public art initiative that launched in 2019 at the foot of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Since then, Beyond Walls has traveled across four continents, including stints in Geneva, Berlin, Istanbul, Venice, Cape Town, Tokyo and Cairo. Minneapolis will become the project’s 22nd stop and the first American city to join what Saype describes as “the largest symbolic human chain in the world.”

Saype is a Franco-Swiss artist recognized as one of the pioneers of a new form of monumental land art. Working directly on grass with 100% eco-responsible paint of his own formulation, he creates ephemeral frescoes of unprecedented scale, designed to fade naturally with the rhythm of the nature. Named by Forbes among the 30 most influential figures in art under 30, his work has been featured by The New York Times, BBC, CNN, The Guardian, Le Monde and over 400 publications worldwide.

“Parks are where communities come together, and Beyond Walls is a powerful expression of that idea. We’re incredibly excited to host a unique project that creates a meaningful experience for residents and visitors alike. This installation will reflect the energy and creativity that built Minneapolis’ strong communities, excellent parks, and vibrant public art.” Al Bangoura, Superintendent of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Saype’s large-scale, temporary artworks use a biodegradable paint composed primarily of chalk and charcoal. Painted directly onto grass, the fresco will depict intertwined hands, the defining symbol of Beyond Walls and its message of human connection.

Boom Island Park is a 22.5-acre park located at 724 Sibley Street NE, in between the Plymouth Avenue Bridge and Nicollet Island on the Northeast Minneapolis riverfront.

Saype uses a sprayer and temporary, biodegradable paint to create his massive land art installations

“Paris has the Eiffel Tower and Cairo has the Pyramids of Giza — but Minneapolis has something just as powerful: a community that comes together through challenge and change. Our city wasn’t chosen by accident. We’re honored that the strength of our neighbors, along with our nationally ranked parks and riverfront, made Minneapolis the first U.S. city to host Beyond Walls.” Mayor Jacob Frey

Schedule and Park Impacts

Saype is scheduled to begin painting on Monday, June 1, and unveil the work at a community celebration at Boom Island Park on Saturday, June 6. Stay tuned for details on the event!

Temporary fencing and signage will be in place to keep people off the artwork while it’s created. After it’s finished, people are welcome to walk on it. Saype’s frescoes last anywhere from three weeks to three months, depending on weather and climate. They are designed to fade naturally, reminding us that the traces we leave on earth are not measured by their duration, but by their meaning.

About Beyond Walls

Beyond Walls is the largest participatory land-art project ever created. It consists of giant intertwined hands painted on the ground symbolizing the longest human chain in the world, step-by-step, city-by-city. It is a quiet but radical proposition: that what we share as human beings is greater than what divides us. The work carries no slogan, no flag, no agenda. It is an open invitation to pause, to look, and to remember that we are linked.

“Beyond Walls speaks to the invisible connections that unite people beyond borders, cultures, and differences. Minneapolis is a city where questions of community, resilience, and living together carry a particular meaning and strength. Bringing this project here for its very first installation in the United States feels both natural and deeply symbolic. I’m honored to bring this work to Minneapolis, and I look forward to meeting and connecting with the local community through this shared experience.”  Saype

Why Minneapolis?

Minneapolis is a deliberate and meaningful choice. Far from the coastal capitals where international art so often lands first, Minneapolis represents the geographic and human heart of the country. This city of lakes, riverfront, and ample public green space has long been recognized for having one of the finest park systems in the United States and its tradition of supporting public art and civic dialogue. It is also a city that has known, like many around the world, the experience of fracture and the harder, more patient experience of rebuilding together. It is a city where art, public space and resiliency have a particular meaning. Beyond Walls comes to Minneapolis not to comment, but to celebrate what unites: the simple, universal idea that we live, work, and grow stronger when we do so together.