19 "most beautiful Swiss books" awarded
On the recommendation of a jury, the Federal Office of Culture has selected the 19 works that will be honored in this year's "The Most Beautiful Swiss Books" competition. The Jan Tschichold Prize, which recognizes outstanding achievements in the field of book design, goes to Krispin Heé this year.
Every year, the BAK organizes the competition "The Most Beautiful Swiss Books". It honors outstanding achievements in the field of book design and production and focuses in particular on works that express contemporary trends. The 19 most beautiful books of 2020 were selected by the BAK on the recommendation of a five-member jury chaired by graphic designer Gilles Gavillet. From June 24 to 27, 2021, the books will be shown in an exhibition at the Helmhaus in Zurich and will subsequently be on display at other locations in Switzerland and abroad.
Jan Tschichold Prize goes to Krispin Heé
Since 1997, the BAK has been awarding the Jan Tschichold Prize to a personality, group or institution for outstanding achievements in book design. The prize is awarded on the recommendation of the jury and independently of the "Most Beautiful Swiss Books" competition. This year, the Jan Tschichold Prize, endowed with CHF 25,000, goes to Krispin Heé.
Heé was born in 1979. She has been working independently for over ten years. Her books have won several awards as "most beautiful Swiss books" and stand for a book design that is visually very diverse and always precise in its realization. "Lily Keller", "Art Décor" and "Die Verwandte" won awards in the 2015, 2016 and 2019 competitions and are evidence of a strong artistic direction that nevertheless treats the content with respect and avoids personal effects in order to emphasize the identity of a project. The jury acknowledges this commitment and demanding attitude.
The Jan Tschichold Prize will be awarded to Krispin Heé on June 24, 2021 as part of the vernissage of the exhibition "The Most Beautiful Swiss Books 2020" at the Helmhaus in Zurich.
The competition "The most beautiful Swiss books" is an instrument of the Federal Office of Culture that honors the quality of book design in Switzerland and brings it closer to the public. The competition is open to exponents from the fields of design, publishing and printing. Around 400 titles are submitted to the Federal Office of Culture each year. A five-member international jury selects the most beautiful Swiss books of the respective year. The competition captures trends and recognizes tendencies in contemporary book design and production, while at the same time creating a far-reaching historical memory.
