

From fall 2018 to the end of 2022 I worked with Christoph Schenker and Michael Günzburger for the Institute for Contemporary Art Research IFCAR/ZHdK on the SNF research project „Hands-on“ on documenting and conveying artistic-technical processes in print.
Since December 7th an outcome of the project is shown at Graphische Sammlung ETH, Zurich. The exhibition "On Observing the Printing" will run until March 5, the events that accompany it you find here.
Since summer 2022, I am working for the foundation artasfoundation at the Center for Art and Peacebuilding CAP as a coordinator in the exchange with the Zurich University of the Arts ZHdK.
As part of a Pro Helvetia Research Residency, I will be (artistically) researching community art and artistic-feminist projects in Nepal for a month. The trip will also serve as preparation for a publication on the radical art education of Doris Stauffer (in collaboration with Chantal Küng and Simone Koller). The travel dates are: Ende February until end of March 2023.
Mara Züst
FH Visual Communication – ZHdK
MA History of Art and Photography – History of Modern Era – UZH
Born in 1976, Mara Züst lives with her family in Zurich. She holds a diploma in Design (Visual Communication FH/Theorie der Gestaltung und Kunst, ZHdK), a Masters in Art History with a minor in Modern History from the University of Zurich and a CAS in Arts and International Cooperation (ZHdK). She works as an artist, mediator, author and researcher and is the person in charge of the estate of Andreas Züst which runs the Bibliothek Andreas Züst, Oberegg.
info@marazuest.net
www.marazuest.net
www.andreaszuest.net
www.bibliothekandreaszuest.net
The central element of my work relates to developing original concepts for artistic and cultural endevours. These are mostly in the form of texts, books, exhibitions, literary events and workshops or a combination of them. To realize these concepts into the diverse forms they take, I work closely with professionals from various fields such as visual communication, photography, computer programming as well as the arts, and crafts like printings and wood work. Thematically, my interests are diverse and range from an aesthetic exploration of mundane phenomenons to artistic researches on book design and printing techniques, as well as the work of individual artists and designers.
Awards / Grants / Residencies:
2021: Poster series "Mini-Zine-Library" awarded 100 Beste Plakate 21
2021: Artist in Residence at Pathshala South Media Institute, Dhaka (Bangladesh), for Chapakhana Archive
2020: Pro Helvetia research scholarship for Nepal
2019: Kolkata—City of Print awarded Walter Tiemann Main Prize
2018: Project grant by Pro Helvetia for „Mini-Zine-Library“
2016: Doris Stauffer. Eine Monografie awarded „Die schönsten deutschen Bücher 2016“ (The Most Beautiful German Books 2011)
2014: Pro Helvetia research scholarship for Kolkata (India)
2011: Himmel awarded „Die schönsten Schweizer Bücher 2011" (The Most Beautiful Swiss Books 2011)
2011: Himmel nominated for the International Photobook Award 2012
2010: Scenography of „Andreas bis Züst – Eine Bibliothek auf Wanderschaft“ shortlisted for the Swiss Design Award 2009
2009: Memorizer. Der Sammler Andreas Züst awarded „Die schönsten Schweizer Bücher 2009“ (The Most Beautiful Swiss Books 2009)