zürcher theater spektakel 2026
the campaign was realised in collaboration with french photographer maxime ballesteros and actress and choreographer vimala pons, who will show her production honda romance, creating a thematic link to the festival.
at the heart of the campaign are bodies caught between vulnerability and resistance. shot on analogue film in an industrial setting, the images show figures leaning, bracing, carrying or losing their balance – moments suspended between stillness and movement.
the subjects are ‘physical translations of inner states’: micro-movements, emotional impulses that are merely hinted at in the visible. inspired by literary concepts such as nathalie sarraute’s ‘tropisms’, a visual language emerges that makes the invisible tangible.
the photographs are complemented by short video sequences that show the protagonists in almost motionless sequences. minimal shifts – a tremor, a breath of air – undermine the apparent rigidity. rather than staging movement, the campaign makes its inevitability noticeable.
with over 15 stages and almost 200 shows during 18 days, the festival programme can be quite overwhelming. we help to navigate in time and space with various visual interventions.
with more than 100’000 visitors a year, zürcher theater spektakel is one of the leading festivals for contemporary performing arts in europe. with its open grounds, international artists and a curious audience, it creates an unmistakable cultural venue in the centre of zurich. studio marcus kraft is responsible for the visual communication and campaign since 2018.
(sound on)
project details
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with more than 15 stages and almost 200 performances over 18 days, zürcher theater spektakel presents an extensive programme of contemporary performing arts. the challenge was to develop a distinctive campaign that captures the festival’s experimental spirit while helping audiences navigate its diverse programme.
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the campaign explores the tension between vulnerability and resistance, stillness and movement. developed in collaboration with french photographer maxime ballesteros and actress and choreographer vimala pons, the concept focuses on the body as an expression of inner emotional states. inspired by literary ideas such as nathalie sarraute’s concept of tropisms, it seeks to make subtle, often invisible impulses tangible through images.
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shot on analogue film in an industrial setting, the photographs portray figures leaning, bracing, carrying or losing their balance. these suspended moments transform small physical gestures into expressive images, balancing fragility with strength.
the photography is complemented by short video sequences in which the protagonists remain almost motionless. minimal shifts — a tremor, a breath of air or a subtle change in posture — introduce movement without relying on conventional action. sound, animation and graphic design extend this visual language across the campaign.
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the campaign combines photography, moving image and graphic design across a range of festival communication materials. the visual interventions create a coherent identity while helping audiences find their way through the festival’s many stages, performances and events.
studio marcus kraft has been responsible for the visual communication and campaign of zürcher theater spektakel since 2018, developing a distinctive visual presence for one of europe’s leading festivals for contemporary performing arts.
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client: zürcher theater spektakel
year: 2026 (since 2018)
location: zurich, switzerland
services: campaign concept, art direction, graphic design, visual communication, animation and motion design -
responsible for concept, art direction, design & animation: studio marcus kraft; maxime ballesteros & vimala pons (artwork), maxime ballesteros (photography), makoto c. ôkubo (videography), rebeka warrior (sound), michel fries & thomas bruggisser (layout), highfive (web development), unwiderstehlich (social media)
zürcher theater spektakel: sarah wendle, veit kälin, matthias von hartz (co-direction), heike dürscheid (head of communication); selina stefaniak (assistance communication); rona schauwecker (marketing & head of campaign), josefine stähli (head of artistic administration)