Giant Mural in Switzerland Sends a Message of Hope in Wake of Coronavirus (Video)

The world could definitely use a little hope in times of crisis.

As the world continues to combat the coronavirus pandemic, one artist in Switzerland decided to spread a message of hope in the form of a gigantic mural, Lonely Planet reported.

“Beyond Crisis” is a mural painted directly on the landscape located in Leysin, an alpine resort in Switzerland. It was created by the artist Saype, who completed the project last month, according to Lonely Planet. Overall, the mural takes up about 3,000 square meters (over 32,000 square feet) and is made from biodegradable paints so as not to harm the environment.

“Luckily, in Switzerland the confinement was partial, this allowed me to be able to paint outside. It seems to me that this is what inspired the work that makes it unique: the coronavirus crisis and the fact that more than half of the world's population is confined to their homes,” said Saype to Lonely Planet. “On the other hand, I wanted to talk about the importance of being united in the face of this crisis and already looking to the future.”

In Switzerland, there have been only about 30,000 cases of coronavirus and about 1,800 deaths since late February, according to the World Economic Forum. Lockdown measures have begun to ease in the country, including in bars and restaurants.

The mural itself depicts a young girl, who has a pencil bag with chalk and pencils spilling out of it, surrounded by a half-circle of stick figures, holding hands. From above, the mural is made to look like an optical illusion, as if it’s popping out of the landscape in 3-D, like a sculpture.

Saype told Lonely Planet that the object of the mural was to spread hope, positivity, and unity while the world is at a stand-still over the virus outbreak. While some countries have managed to control the spread of the virus, millions across the globe are still feeling the effects, including lockdown measures that have kept people home for months.

According to Lonely Planet, the response to the mural has been overwhelmingly positive. I am lucky,” Saype told Lonely Planet. “People were really touched and fully supported the project.”