GRAFFITI artist extraordinaire Saype, whose work I have long admired and featured here, has created another famous first – a FLOATING artwork in New York harbour.

The Swiss-French artist, best known for his giant paintings on landscapes across the world, just launched his latest creation to help promote the Address Hate organisation.

The group campaigns against online hate and division, promoting understanding amid the minefield of social media.

“Martin Luther King’s words ‘I have a dream’ still resonate more than sixty years after he spoke them,” says Saype, who unveiled the new piece on May 8, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War 2.

“I pay tribute to those, like my great-grandfather, who gave their lives to defend the values of freedom, peace, and humanity.

Read more: Giant hands stretching across globe reach Japan

“Four hundred years ago, men and women left Europe to come here, to New York, driven by a dream: the dream of building an egalitarian, democratic, and free society. A vast and audacious dream that shaped history and continues, even today, to echo through the streets, bridges, and neighbourhoods of this city.

“I wanted to reconnect with that founding dream and also invite us to reflect on the limits of this society. In an age of hyper-connectivity, we have the tools to communicate with the entire world, yet invisible walls persist, fuelled by ignorance, fear, and disinformation.

Read more: Pyramids get a helping hand from artist Saype

“My intention in creating this floating artwork was simple and universal: to remind us all that even today, we have the responsibility to keep this dream of equality, freedom, and democracy alive, to not let the walls of fear, hate, or indifference erase it.”

Read more: Giant child’s lightbulb moment in solar farm

Self-taught Saype is best known for his paintings on grass, made with 100% biodegradable paint he developed himself, and was listed by Forbes magazine among the 30 most influential personalities under the age of 30 in the field of art and culture.

You can follow his latest projects on Instagram.