Description
What happens when we cannot read characters immediately? "Illegible" irritates but also piques our curiosity: because what initially escapes our understanding also holds the allure of deciphering it. The exhibition is based on 42 documents from the Swiss Literature Archives (SLA, Bern). They are barely legible or distorted, ciphered, blacked out, and crossed out – each contains a puzzle that wants to be solved. At the same time, the "Illegible" develops its own visual aesthetic, which fascinates regardless of the content. The exhibition is also a journey through time and space and an invitation to look more closely and find a productive way to deal with what appears cryptic: from ancient writing systems to graphics, text design, and (un)readable classics of literature to the sign whirlpool of our fast-paced present.
Highlights
- Exhibition at Museum Strauhof, Zurich
- 42 documents from the Swiss Literature Archives
- Explores the mysterious and the visual aesthetics of the unreadable
General Information
The "Illegible" exhibition invites visitors to engage with characters that are not immediately readable. It shows documents that, through distortion and ciphering, present a puzzle and simultaneously develop their own aesthetics.
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Event Calendar
October 2026
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