Zürich was once home to over 1,000 antiquarian book vendors. By 2004, only 35 remained. By 2024, just 6. Yet the city still hosts one of Europe’s largest antique book fairs - a fair that young people rarely visit.
So we made antique books impossible to ignore. We took the hidden illustrations inside fragile volumes and turned them into one-of-a-kind tattoos - carrying pages that couldn’t be touched into the future, on human skin.
Antiquarians Zürich Antique Tattoos
Our process:
Background:
The Zurich Antique Book Fair is home to some of Europe’s rarest and most valuable books. Handcrafted pieces of history, beautifully preserved and available nowhere else.
Yet… the audience is stagnating and has been for years.
And the craft for preserving old books is dying out along with their interest.
Idea:
We brought the hidden pages of fragile antique books into the open without damaging the originals. Rare illustrations, ornaments, and forgotten details were transformed into one-of-a-kind tattoos, preserving book history on a new kind of canvas: human skin.
Each tattoo became an open invitation to the fair as well as a permanent story for a few lucky visitors all while giving antique books a new life beyond the shelf.
Our launch:
The Event:
The Case:
“I’m very happy not only for the fair but also for my shop. there are many many young people entering the shop and rediscovering the books.”
– Dr. Peter Bichsel
president of the
Antique Book Fair, Zürich
The Credits:
Ioana Mar - Art Director & Concept
Günter Zumbach - Sr. Copywriter & Concept
Paris Nikiforakis - Copywriter & Concept
Joss Arnott - Jr. Copywriter
Laura Schlittler - Account Management
Dr. Peter Bichsel - Master Antiquarian
Govinda Schmidt - Graphic Design & Art Direction
Carina Kienzle - Graphic Design
Mila Lu - Graphic Design
Dominic Shota Schweingruber - Motion Design / DOP
Michael Winnicki - Photography
Sylvia Kohler - Account Management