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Swiss culture office selects the 20 most beautiful Swiss books of 2024

Federal Office of Culture selects the 20 most beautiful Swiss books of 2024
Federal Office of Culture selects the 20 most beautiful Swiss books of 2024 Keystone-SDA

The Federal Office of Culture (FOC) has chosen the 20 most beautiful books of 2024. This year’s Jan Tschichold Prize for the best book design goes to Vela Arbutina from Zurich.

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The five-member jury assessed a total of 362 books from the past year and has now honoured the 20 that demonstrate “exceptional quality and high standards”, the culture office announced on Thursday. The jury focused in particular on works that “express contemporary trends”.

These most beautiful Swiss books will be presented to the public in Switzerland June 13-22 at the Helmhaus in Zurich. From September onwards, this exhibition will be shown at around twenty other venues in Switzerland and abroad. Before that, it will be presented at the Leipzig Book Fair (March 27-30).

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One of the beautiful Swiss books has also been recognised internationally as one of the “Most Beautiful Books from Around the World”. Hidden Heartache, edited by Simona Keller and published by Jungle Books Verlag in St. Gallen, was awarded a bronze medal by the Stiftung Buchkunst in Leipzig in February. This book was one of 550 from 32 countries.

Prize for graphic designer from Zurich

With the Jan Tschichold Prize, the culture office also honours a personality, group or institution for outstanding achievements in book design. This year’s award, worth CHF25,000, goes to freelance graphic designer Vela Arbutina from Zurich. Five of her works were among the “Most Beautiful Swiss Books” from 2013 to 2024.

“Through humour and sophistication, the artist creates a deep insight into her themes,” said the jury, explaining its decision. It also recognised Arbutina’s commitment to a “demanding industry that is also going through difficult economic times”.

Translated from German by DeepL/jdp

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