Harald Naegeli
Born 1939 in Zurich · «the Sprayer of Zurich» · death dances in Cologne and Zurich
Harald Naegeli, born in Zurich in 1939, trained as a scientific illustrator at the Zurich School of Applied Arts and spent a year at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris in 1964. From the late 1970s he sprayed his wire-thin black figures at night on walls all over Zurich – as a protest against the grey, monotonous city. In June 1979 he was caught when he went back for the glasses he had left behind at one of his pieces.
Convicted in 1981 of repeated damage to property and sentenced to nine months in prison, he fled to Germany; in 1984 he was extradited and served six months. In Cologne he painted his Kölner Totentanz, a cycle of skeletal figures (1980/81), and from 2018 a death dance in the towers of Zurich's Grossmünster, which remained unfinished after a dispute with the canton. In 2020 the city that had once prosecuted him awarded him its art prize. In 2021 the Harald Naegeli Foundation was set up, and in 2024 Swiss Post issued a stamp with his work.
On the market: His drawings and etchings are held by the Kunsthaus Zürich and the University of Tübingen; the Harald Naegeli Foundation (2021) looks after his work. Sprayed figures themselves are part of the buildings and not for sale – 22 figures in the ETH car park are now officially protected.
Walls, trains & public works: Sprayed figures across Zurich from the late 1970s; «Undine» (1978), University of Zurich; Kölner Totentanz (1980/81); death dance in the Grossmünster towers (from 2018). (source)
Fact sheet
| Born | 4 December 1939, Zurich |
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| Lives in | – |
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| Active since | late 1970s |
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| Works in | - ✓ Drawings
- – Canvases
- ✓ Murals
- – Sculptures
- – Toys
- ✓ Film
- – Furniture
- ✓ Books
- – Graphics
- ✓ Prints
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| Training | Scientific illustration, Zurich School of Applied Arts; École des Beaux-Arts, Paris (1964) |
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| Galleries | – |
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| Previously with | – |
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| Collaborations | – |
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| Museums & institutions | Kunsthaus Zürich, Museum Schnütgen Köln (2022), ETH Zürich |
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| Collection acquisitions | Kunsthaus Zürich (collage, 1970); Graphische Sammlung, University of Tübingen; ETH Zurich (22 figures in the car park, 2021) |
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| Awards & residencies | Art Prize of the City of Zurich (2020); Swiss stamp (2024) |
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| Press, interviews & films | Film: Harald Naegeli – Der Sprayer von Zürich (Nathalie David, 2021) · Filmstarts · Zürich Tourismus |
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| Wikipedia | EN Wikipedia |
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| Future value – StreetArtValue estimate | – |
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| Website | – |
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| Instagram | – |
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✓ documented · – no information in the sources
Mickry3
Zurich artist trio: Nina von Meiss, Dominique Vigne, Christina Pfander · sculptures and installations
Nina von Meiss (born 1978), Christina Pfander (born 1980) and Dominique Vigne (born 1981) met while studying at the F+F school of art and design in Zurich from 1997 to 2001 and have worked as Mickry3 ever since. Their sculptures, installations and pictures mix everyday objects, comics and consumer kitsch – humorous, often subversive, always hand-made.
In Zurich their work is part of the cityscape: Love is the Message in the Rosengarten (2014–2019), art for the Schütze school complex (2019) and for the temporary city hall (2023). They have shown at the Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst (2023), the Helmhaus and Museum Haus Konstruktiv (2022) and the Kunstmuseum Solothurn (2023), and received the Kiefer Hablitzel Prize (2005) and a UBS Kulturstiftung award (2024).
On the market: Works are sold through galleries such as Groeflin Maag, Barbarian Art Gallery and Galerie Käsermann; public collections include the Kunsthaus Zürich and the MAK in Vienna.
Walls, trains & public works: Public works in Zurich: «Love is the Message», Rosengarten (2014–2019); Schütze school complex (2019); temporary city hall (2023). (source)
Fact sheet
| Born | Nina von Meiss 1978, Christina Pfander 1980, Dominique Vigne 1981 |
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| Lives in | Zurich |
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| Active since | – |
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| Works in | - ✓ Drawings
- – Canvases
- – Murals
- ✓ Sculptures
- – Toys
- – Film
- – Furniture
- ✓ Books
- – Graphics
- ✓ Objects
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| Training | F+F school of art and media design, Zurich (1997–2001) |
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| Galleries | Groeflin Maag Galerie · Barbarian Art Gallery · Galerie Käsermann |
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| Previously with | – |
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| Collaborations | – |
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| Museums & institutions | Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst (2023), Kunstmuseum Solothurn (2023), Helmhaus Zürich (2022), Museum Haus Konstruktiv (2022), Museum Sankturbanhof Sursee (2024) |
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| Collection acquisitions | Kunstsammlung der Stadt Zürich, Kanton Zürich, Kunsthaus Zürich, MAK Wien, Hauser & Wirth Collection |
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| Awards & residencies | UBS Kulturstiftung (2024), Werkbeitrag Kanton Zürich (2000, 2003, 2022), Kiefer Hablitzel Preis (2005), Cité des Arts Paris (2004) |
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| Press, interviews & films | Limmattaler Zeitung: 20 Jahre Mickry 3 · Limmattaler Zeitung: Dominique Vigne |
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| Wikipedia | – |
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| Future value – StreetArtValue estimate | – |
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| Website | mickry3.net |
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| Instagram | @mickry3 |
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✓ documented · – no information in the sources
Takit (Upper Class)
Zurich graffiti writer · co-founder of the crew Upper Class (1990)
On a hot day in July 1990, the Zurich writers Takit and Moniak founded a new crew; Lord, Zombie and Zimtik joined, and Upper Class was born. In 1992 Mode 2 from London and Paris became the sixth member. With its attention to detail and perfection, the crew gained an international reputation in the 1990s and left pieces in more than a dozen countries – across Europe, in New York and Florida, in Brazil and Ecuador. 20 Minuten called it Zurich's most important graffiti crew.
For its 20th anniversary, Upper Class became a fashion label: the first streetwear concept store opened at Spitalgasse 5 in Zurich on 3 September 2010; since 2014 the brand has focused on Japanese denim.
On the market: Our sources document no sales of individual works; the Upper Class brand sells streetwear and denim.
Walls, trains & public works: With Upper Class: pieces in over a dozen countries in Europe, the USA (New York, Florida), Brazil and Ecuador. (source)
Fact sheet
| Born | – |
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| Lives in | Zurich |
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| Active since | crew founded July 1990 |
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| Works in | - – Drawings
- – Canvases
- ✓ Murals
- – Sculptures
- – Toys
- – Film
- – Furniture
- – Books
- – Graphics
- ✓ Merchandise
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| Training | – |
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| Galleries | – |
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| Previously with | – |
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| Collaborations | Upper Class: Moniak, Lord, Zombie, Zimtik; Mode 2 (from 1992) |
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| Museums & institutions | – |
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| Collection acquisitions | – |
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| Awards & residencies | – |
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| Press, interviews & films | 20 Minuten (2010) |
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| Wikipedia | – |
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| Future value – StreetArtValue estimate | – |
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| Website | upperclass.ch |
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| Instagram | @upperclassjeans |
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✓ documented · – no information in the sources
Gen Atem
Anton Wettstein, born 1967 in Frauenfeld · trains and walls since 1982 · Rammellzee, Zen, «Meditated Vandalism»
Anton Wettstein began painting subway cars and walls in 1982 and is regarded as one of the pioneers of Europe's street art movement. He founded the crews Wild Writers and Attacking Vandalism Criminals (AVC) and made more than 800 public works in New York, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Basel and Zurich. From 1986 to 1994 he worked with Rammellzee on «art battle» performances of letter sculptures, music and rhymes.
In 1995 he withdrew to a Buddhist monastery, was ordained a Zen priest in 1999 and ran a meditation centre in Zurich from 2001 to 2009. Since then he has painted again – «Meditated Vandalism», also the title of his 2016 book with Hatje Cantz. With S213 he painted the Christoph Blocher mural at Campus Attisholz near Solothurn (2017), at more than 900 m² the largest in Switzerland at the time.
On the market: His works are held by the Art Collection of the Canton of Zurich and the University of Zurich («Time Frame»), the Historical Museum Baden and the MoE Museum of Emptiness in St. Gallen.
Walls, trains & public works: Over 800 public works (New York, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Basel, Zurich); Christoph Blocher mural, Campus Attisholz, Solothurn (2017, with S213). (source)
Fact sheet
| Born | 27 October 1967, Frauenfeld (Thurgau) |
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| Lives in | Herbetswil (Solothurn) |
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| Active since | 1982 |
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| Works in | - – Drawings
- ✓ Canvases
- ✓ Murals
- ✓ Sculptures
- – Toys
- – Film
- – Furniture
- ✓ Books
- ✓ Graphics
- ✓ Music
- ✓ Subway trains
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| Training | Graphic design, School of Visual Arts Zurich (today ZHdK) |
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| Galleries | – |
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| Previously with | – |
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| Collaborations | Rammellzee (1986–1994); S213; Miriam Bossard; Stephan Wittwer, Irène Schweizer, Christy Doran |
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| Museums & institutions | Shown in New York, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Zurich, Bregenz, Istanbul and Tokyo |
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| Collection acquisitions | Kunstsammlung Kanton Zürich, Universität Zürich, Historisches Museum Baden, MoE Museum of Emptiness (St. Gallen), Campus Attisholz |
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| Awards & residencies | – |
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| Press, interviews & films | – |
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| Wikipedia | EN Wikipedia |
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| Future value – StreetArtValue estimate | – |
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| Website | – |
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| Instagram | – |
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✓ documented · – no information in the sources
Cristian Andersen
Born 1974 in Denmark · lives in Zurich · spray paint, UV prints, ceramics
Cristian Andersen, born in Denmark in 1974, lives and works in Zurich. He works with spray paint and digital photomontage and borrows signs and symbols from art and pop culture. For his pictures he prints on everyday materials such as concrete slabs and Pavatex boards using UV direct printing – a technique close to screen printing, but with finer gradations.
Alongside the pictures he makes large cast ceramic sculptures and works in bronze. His work has been shown by the Public Art Fund in New York, at Avlskarl Gallery in Copenhagen, at the World Expo 2012 in Shanghai and at Artforum Berlin; in 2019 he took part in the Weiertal Biennale and in «Gasträume», Zurich's exhibition of art in public space.
On the market: Upstream Gallery in Amsterdam has shown him regularly since 2004; Edition VFO in Zurich published four UV prints in 2019 (edition of 25) at CHF 400 each.
Walls, trains & public works: Public art: Public Art Fund, New York; «Gasträume – Kunst im öffentlichen Raum», Zurich (2019). (source)
Fact sheet
| Born | 1974, Denmark |
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| Lives in | Zurich |
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| Active since | – |
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| Works in | - – Drawings
- ✓ Canvases
- – Murals
- ✓ Sculptures
- – Toys
- – Film
- – Furniture
- – Books
- – Graphics
- ✓ Prints
- ✓ Digital art
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| Training | – |
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| Galleries | Upstream Gallery · Bolte Lang |
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| Previously with | – |
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| Collaborations | – |
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| Museums & institutions | Public Art Fund (New York), World Expo 2012 (Shanghai), Kunsthaus Glarus, Weiertal Biennale (2019) |
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| Collection acquisitions | – |
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| Awards & residencies | Several Swiss and Danish prizes and grants |
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| Press, interviews & films | NZZ: An Schnittstellen |
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| Wikipedia | – |
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| Future value – StreetArtValue estimate | – |
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| Website | cristianandersen.com · Edition VFO |
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| Instagram | @andersen.cristian |
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✓ documented · – no information in the sources