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Hiding In Plain Sight

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Project Year

2025

Client

Wellcome Trust

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A dramatic upward view of Two Punctures, a cobra sculpture made entirely from colorful recycled flip-flop soles. The sculpture’s hood flares wide, showcasing a vibrant mosaic of red, yellow, green, blue, orange, and white pieces. The cobra’s mouth is open with carved wooden fangs and a bold red forked tongue extending outward, set sharply against a clear blue sky

As world leaders gathered in Geneva for the 78th World Health Assembly in May 2025, Lazerian unveiled a striking public art series designed to bring attention to one of the world’s deadliest — and most neglected — health emergencies: venomous snakebites.

Every year, up to 138,000 people die from venomous snakebites, with over 400,000 more suffering life-altering injuries. Most victims are farmers, children, and community members in rural, underserved areas — often walking barefoot or in flip-flops. Each step puts them at risk.

Despite the scale of the crisis, snakebite remains largely invisible in global health discussions. Our response: turn that invisibility into undeniable presence.

A close-up of Venom’s Whisper, a snake sculpture made from recycled flip-flop soles in the colors of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s flag—red, yellow, blue, and black. The sculpture features large carved fangs, a split red tongue, and a raised hood textured with colorful, rounded flip-flop pieces. The vivid red tongue coils outward dramatically, with a jewel-like blue detail near the tip, set against a sunny, green park backdrop.
A coiled snake sculpture titled Bitten Twice rests on a white pedestal in a grassy park. The sculpture is composed of recycled flip-flop soles in the colors of the Nigerian flag—green, white, and black—with vibrant red elements inside the mouth. The open mouth reveals wooden fangs and a textured black tongue extending outward. Each piece of flip-flop material adds depth and texture to the artwork’s skin-like surface.
A striking cobra sculpture titled The Last Coil stands proudly in a grassy outdoor space, crafted entirely from recycled flip-flop soles. The sculpture features the colors of the Indian flag—green, white, and orange—accented with blue and black, and displays a bold red tongue and wooden fangs. Each flip-flop piece is intricately placed, forming a mosaic-like texture across the snake’s flared hood and coiled body
A striking cobra sculpture titled The Last Coil stands proudly in a grassy outdoor space, crafted entirely from recycled flip-flop soles. The sculpture features the colors of the Indian flag—green, white, and orange—accented with blue and black, and displays a bold red tongue and wooden fangs. Each flip-flop piece is intricately placed, forming a mosaic-like texture across the snake’s flared hood and coiled body.

Commissioned as part of the Strike Out Snakebite (SOS) campaign, Lazerian created five large-scale sculptural snakes, installed across Parc Mon Repos in central Geneva. These works transformed discarded flip-flops — worn by those at risk — into vibrant, symbolic art pieces.

Each sculpture highlights a country heavily affected by snakebite and is handcrafted using recycled footwear sourced from impacted communities. The result is a powerful fusion of sustainability, social commentary, and craft.

Why Flip-Flops?

The flip-flop is both a symbol and a material. It represents the affordability, practicality, and vulnerability of life in snakebite-endemic areas. These lightweight shoes offer little protection — but are often the only option.

By reclaiming discarded flip-flops, we honour the lives behind them: lives lived in quiet resilience and daily risk. The transformation of these objects into large-scale artwork draws urgent attention to both environmental neglect and global health inequality.

Each sculpture is filled with carefully considered details, including the tongues, which have been crafted using the toe posts from the recycled flip-flops. These small but symbolic elements bring a tactile realism to the snakes, while also highlighting the ingenuity and integrity of the material reuse. What once held a foot in place now becomes a flickering symbol of threat — turning everyday waste into a message of resilience, creativity, and transformation.

A side view of The Last Coil, a cobra sculpture made from recycled flip-flop soles, showcases a colorful mosaic pattern using green, white, orange, blue, and black pieces. The sculpture features a yellow snake eye with a vertical slit, carved wooden fangs, and a long red tongue. Set against a vibrant green lawn and clear blue sky, the sculpture embodies themes of sustainability and cultural symbolism inspired by the Indian flag
A side view of Two Punctures, a multicolored cobra sculpture made from recycled flip-flop soles. The snake's hood flares outward, revealing a vivid mosaic of green, yellow, orange, and blue pieces. Its red forked tongue extends dramatically as wooden fangs protrude from its open mouth. In the background, a scenic promenade by the water displays rows of posters and statues, with a mountain range visible in the distance under a clear blue sky.
A close-up of Venom’s Whisper, a vibrant snake sculpture made from recycled flip-flops, shows a striking composition of red, yellow, blue, and black pieces. The image focuses on the cobra’s wooden fangs, red textured tongue, and a section of its hood, which features a yellow eye with a vertical black slit. The mosaic-like flip-flop pieces reveal various patterns and textures, creating a dynamic and tactile surface. The sculpture is displayed outdoors on a bright green lawn

The Sculptures

Two Punctures (Global)

A 3-metre-tall sculpture representing the universal toll of snakebite, with multicoloured scales made from flip-flops painted in the national colours of the 10 most affected countries, including India, Pakistan, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Its name is a stark reminder of how just two puncture wounds can take a life.

The vivid camouflage defies the concept of “Hiding In Plain Sight” boldly bringing awareness to the forefront.

A close-up view of Two Punctures, a towering snake sculpture composed of multicolored recycled flip-flop soles arranged in a vibrant mosaic. The sculpture features sharp wooden fangs and a long red forked tongue extending from its open mouth. The detailed texture of the flip-flop pieces enhances the lifelike curvature of the snake’s head and body, set against a backdrop of lush green and dark foliage
A close up side view of The Last Coil, a cobra sculpture made from recycled flip-flop soles, showcases a colorful mosaic pattern using green, white, orange, blue, and black pieces. The sculpture features a yellow snake eye with a vertical slit, carved wooden fangs, and a long red tongue. Set against a vibrant green lawn and clear blue sky, the sculpture embodies themes of sustainability and cultural symbolism inspired by the Indian flag.

The Last Coil (India)

A twisting snake painted in saffron, white, and green — the colours of India’s flag. It represents the 60,000 lives lost annually in India alone. Flip-flop soles are etched with stories and sobering statistics.

The Silent Fang (Pakistan)

Poised in a striking attack position, this sculpture reflects 8,000 annual deaths in Pakistan. It speaks to the deadly silence surrounding snakebite victims in the country.

A coiled snake sculpture titled The Silent Fang is displayed on a white platform in a scenic lakeside park. The sculpture is made from recycled flip-flop soles in dark green, white, and black, reflecting the colors of the Pakistan flag. The snake's mouth is open, revealing bright red inner detailing, sharp wooden fangs, and a vibrant blue forked tongue. A silver information plaque stands nearby, while Geneva’s cityscape and mountains can be seen in the distance under a clear blue sky.
A coiled snake sculpture titled Bitten Twice rests on a white pedestal in a grassy park. The sculpture is composed of recycled flip-flop soles in the colors of the Nigerian flag—green, white, and black—with vibrant red elements inside the mouth. The open mouth reveals wooden fangs and a textured black tongue extending outward. Each piece of flip-flop material adds depth and texture to the artwork’s skin-like surface.

Bitten Twice (Nigeria)

This sculpture highlights how victims suffer not only from the bite but also from the economic aftershock — lost wages, medical costs, and the absence of accessible healthcare.

Venom’s Whisper (Democratic Republic of Congo)

A sinuous form symbolising the slow, creeping threat of snakebite in the DRC, where thousands die each year with little public awareness or antivenom access.

A brightly colored snake sculpture titled Venom’s Whisper stands upright on a white platform in a grassy park, with a classical building in the background. The snake is constructed from recycled flip-flop soles in red, yellow, blue, and black, representing the colors of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s flag. A silver information plaque is positioned nearby, offering context for the artwork. The setting is sunny and lush with trees and manicured lawns surrounding the installation
A vibrant snake sculpture titled Two Punctures is displayed on a white platform in a grassy park. The snake is constructed from multicolored recycled flip-flop soles arranged in a mosaic pattern featuring red, green, blue, yellow, and black. The snake is coiled with its body raised and fangs bared, a red forked tongue extended from its open mouth. An informational plaque on a metal stand is placed nearby, with a dense tree backdrop enhancing the sculpture’s striking colors.
A close-up of The Last Coil sculpture reveals a mosaic of recycled flip-flop soles in green, white, orange, red, and blue. The focal point is the cobra’s textured yellow eye with a black slit pupil, surrounded by tightly packed, multi-shaped pieces forming the snake’s head. The materials showcase worn tread patterns, holes, and edges, emphasizing the artwork's sustainable and handcrafted nature.
A dramatic side view of Bitten Twice, a snake sculpture made from green and white recycled flip-flop soles, mimicking the colors of the Nigerian flag. The sculpture captures the snake mid-strike, with its black forked tongue extended and wooden fangs bared. The vibrant installation is displayed on a grassy lawn, with exhibition signage and trees in the background.

To deepen the impact, some flip-flops have been intricately engraved with short messages, statistics, and facts about snakebites — often hidden truths that speak volumes. These include the number of deaths per year, the identities of affected communities, and the challenges around accessing treatment.

These engravings reward close inspection and add an intimate, human layer to the larger narrative. They transform the sculptures from visual statements into vessels of storytelling.

Each sculpture is spray-painted in the national colours of the country it represents:

The hero sculpture, Two Punctures, brings all four nations together in a unifying palette — a call for global solidarity in the fight against snakebite.

These colours serve dual purposes: they honour cultural identity and force visibility. They refuse to let this crisis remain in the shadows.

A vibrant snake sculpture titled Two Punctures is displayed on a white platform in a grassy park. The snake is constructed from multicolored recycled flip-flop soles arranged in a mosaic pattern featuring red, green, blue, yellow, and black. The snake is coiled with its body raised and fangs bared, a red forked tongue extended from its open mouth. An informational plaque on a metal stand is placed nearby, with a dense tree backdrop enhancing the sculpture’s striking colors.
“The aim of our work is to make what has been invisible, visible.” Liam Hopkins
A close-up view of The Silent Fang, a snake sculpture crafted from recycled flip-flops in green, white, red, and blue. The sculpture features intricate textures formed by layered rubber pieces, a piercing cream-colored eye with a vertical black slit, and two sharp wooden fangs. Its vivid blue tongue extends outward from a red inner mouth, set against a lush grassy park background.
Side view of The Silent Fang, a sculptural snake coiled on a white platform in a green park. The sculpture is crafted from recycled flip-flops in green and white, with a vivid blue tongue and prominent fangs. A historic building stands in the background, adding contrast to the modern, sustainable artwork.

This project was developed in partnership with the Strike Out Snakebite initiative, supported by Wellcome, and coincided with the launch of the Global Snakebite Taskforce — a coalition committed to halving snakebite deaths and disabilities by 2030

Snakebite is a crisis rooted in inequality — where the right to lifesaving treatment is still a privilege. Through art, we help make the invisible visible. These sculptures are not just works of art; they are calls to action — urging investment in antivenoms, protective clothing, public awareness, and healthcare infrastructure.

This installation blends craftsmanship, advocacy, and environmental consciousness. Every flip-flop sole is a recycled material — and every step closer to change. Through these sculptures, we’ve turned data into dialogue and brought the voices of underserved communities into the heart of global decision-making

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