Roland Früh

Flüelastrasse 10

CH 8048 Zürich        

rolandfrueh (at) gmail.com

6 May 2025

A line of lyrics by Peter Licht, ‘Die Technik wird uns retten’, on: Beton und Ibuprofen, Tapet Records, 2001. Here as quote and translation from the highly recommended Jonas Lüscher, Verzauberte Vorbestimmung, Hanser Verlag, Cologne, 2025.

Essay(s)

Nachgelesen, 8. September 2013

An essay I had written in September 2013 for an unrealised book about books. The essay basically is about ‘circuits’ or ‘circular flows’ in regard to the production of texts. It proposes the consequent revisiting of a small selection of texts to further and further understand their interconnectivities, and opposes the superficial browsing of large quantities of literature without understanding any of it. read here

The paperback through time and space, 10. April 2014

This essay was published in: Balgiu et al., Eigengrau, first sketched then inked, Chaumont Design Graphique, 2014. read here

Parity, 16. May 2016

In 2016 I had been asked to write an essay about whatever I felt was urgent in the field of graphic design. I had just attended the Parity Talks at the architecture department of the ETH Zürich, and it felt, such a transparent, straightforward and productive discussion is needed for the field of graphic design as well. read here

Texts

2025

The magician and the surgeon – the role of the designer in the age of mechanical reproduction, an introduction to Sophie Wietlisbach’s book, Impact Type, Manufacturing Type for Typewriters in Switzerland, 1941–1997, published by ECAL and Triest Verlag

2024

Start from Zero, small contribution to the publication Publishing anecdotes. A research zine on critical and artistic publishing practices edited and published by Roman Karrer.

A conversation with Robin Kinross, for the book Typobiografie. Jost Hochuli, Arbeiten aus 60 Jahren, published by VGS and others.

2023

Kreisbewegungen in Vorderhorben, with Reto Müller and Barbara Signer, for the exhibition catalogue Reto Müller, Le nombril du monde, published by Jungle Books.

2022

Realismus 2.0, an accompanying text for the publication Dinge Zeichnen by Alex Hanimann and ZhdK.

2021

Introduction, for Simon Magers book Words, Form, Language. On Concrete Poetry, Typography, and the Work of Eugen Gomringer, published by ECAL and Triest Verlag

2021

Chronological Diagram, with Ueli Kaufmann, for Swiss Graphic Design Histories

Press Photos, for Swiss Graphic Design Histories

2017        

Writing is for reading, essay for Fabrikzeitung

2016        

Do magazines furnish a room? essay for Brand New Life

2015        

Trying to be here…, publication with artist Jiajia Zhang and curator and critic Daniel Morgenthaler

2013        

30 Years of typographic discourse in the Typographische Monatsblätter, research project at ECAL, publication and web archive. With Louise Paradis, François Rappo, Luke Archer

2011

The missing years of the most beautiful Swiss books, traveling exhibition with stops in Zurich, Locarno and Geneva, web archive and catalogue. With Corina Neuenschwander

 

Work

2022–

Fachreferent and Co-Director at the library of SIK-ISEA, Zurich

2014–2022        

Responsible for the Kunstbibliothek at the Sitterwerk Foundation, St. Gallen

2014 –        

Ad-hoc lecture series Easy Lessoning that started in New York and is now taking place here and there. With Corina Neuenschwander and Other Means

2009 –         

Visiting professor for theory and research at ECAL MATD, formerly known as ECAL MAAD. With Wayne Daly

2011–14

Programme co-ordinator at Werkplaats Typografie

2013

Programming of the lecture series Common grounds, common practices, jointly hosted by Werkplaats Typografie and the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. With guests Cory Arcangel, Jürg Lehni, Joëlle Tuerlinckx, Willem Oorebeek

2011

Awarded a Swiss Design Award in the category Design mediation

2009–14        

Co-founder and co-director at Helvetic Centre London