Graco Unveils Monumental Land Art by World-Renowned Artist Saype to Mark 100 Years
First Minnesota Installation Brings Global Artwork to Dayton Using Graco Sprayers
To celebrate its 100th anniversary, Graco has unveiled a large-scale land artwork by internationally recognized artist Saype, marking his first-ever installation in Minnesota and adding Graco's campus in Dayton to the global list of locations where his work has appeared.
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French-Swiss artist Saype has completed a giant landscape painting on Graco's campus in Dayton in honor of the global company's 100th anniversary. In the piece, titled "By Our Hands," two hands weave a fragile thread across the world, turning scattered possibilities into a single shared connection. Photo credit: Saype
Saype is widely recognized for pioneering large-scale, biodegradable land art designed to be viewed from the sky, creating striking, temporary frescoes on grass, sand, snow, and earth that are revealed most clearly from an aerial perspective.
A Global Artist, A Minnesota First
Saype has used Graco paint sprayers to create frescos in some of the world's most iconic locations, including:
- The lawn beneath the Eiffel Tower in Paris
- A Rio de Janeiro beach
- The United Nations in New York and Geneva
- Near the Egyptian pyramids
- On the slopes of the Swiss Alps
- Cape Town, Dubai, Geneva and more
With this centennial installation, Dayton, Minnesota, now joins that list.
The Meaning Behind the Art for Graco's Centennial
The 210-by-182-foot Minnesota fresco, named "By Our Hands," depicts two hands stretching a thread across a map of the world, weaving a network of connection across continents and reflecting Graco's global impact.
"The creation of art does not rest solely in the hands of the artist," Saype said. "It depends on an entire chain of expertise. It is together that we weave something on the scale of the world."
The artwork at Graco reflects Saype's belief that progress is built collectively. He says each piece is a message placed on a landscape, designed to be seen from the sky and to fade in rhythm with the living world.
Precision at Scale
To achieve this level of scale and detail, Saype relies on Graco pumps and sprayers, which allow him to apply biodegradable pigments with precision across vast landscapes while minimizing environmental impact.
His custom-made paint is composed primarily of natural materials such as chalk and charcoal and is designed to fade gradually through weather and natural regrowth, returning the land to its original state.
"These artworks are monumental, but fleeting," Saype says. "They exist for a moment, then disappear, leaving only memory and reflection."
Who Is Saype?
Born Guillaume Legros in France, Saype is a self-taught artist who began as a graffiti painter before pioneering a new approach to land art.
He developed his own biodegradable paint after becoming concerned about the impact of traditional materials on the environment. He was recognized by Forbes as one of the 30 most influential people under 30 in art and culture.
Experiencing the Artwork
From the ground, visitors will notice abstract shapes, color fields, and fine detail. From elevated or aerial viewpoints, the image resolves into its full composition. Both perspectives are intentional.
As Graco celebrates a century of innovation, the fresco serves as both a reflection on where the company has been, and a reminder that the next century will continue to be built through connection, collaboration, and craftsmanship.
About Graco
Founded in 1926 and headquartered in Minneapolis, Graco Inc. is a global leader in fluid handling systems and products. Graco designs and manufactures equipment used to move, measure, control, dispense, and spray a wide variety of fluids and coatings across industrial, manufacturing, processing, and maintenance environments worldwide.
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Meredith Sobieck, 763-353-1498
Meredith_A_Sobieck@graco.com