Hans Falk

Hans Falk was born in Zurich in 1918. He studied at the Lucerne School of Applied Arts and then completed an apprenticeship as a graphic designer while attending the Zurich School of Applied Arts. In 1942 he designed his first poster, entitled “Ferien” (holidays). This was the start of Hans Falk’s career as one of the best Swiss poster artists of his time.

From 1950 to 1955, Falk taught at the the Zurich School of Design. In the 1950s, he went on long voyages to the Middle East, Spain, France and Libya. He lived in Cornwall with his family from 1958 to 1960 and then on the volcanic island of Stromboli in Italy until 1968. Falk was close friends with the mime Marcel Marceau. He created over 50 posters for charities, theatres, cabarets and exhibitions. In 1963, he won the competition to design the seven-part poster series for the Swiss National Exposition in 1964. After living in Stromboli, he lived and painted in London and then from 1973 in New York. From 1977 to 1980, he followed the Swiss circus Knie on its tour for each three-month season, an experience that influenced his drawings and posters. In 1987 he returned to Stromboli, where he lived and worked intensively, only leaving his home for a few months at a time for exhibitions all over Europe. He died in Zurich in 2002.

Posters by Hans Falk