• Con­tact

    Con­tact

    Lika Nüssli
    9000 St.Gallen
    Switzerland

    hello@likanuessli.ch

    follow me on Instagram



    Site notice

    • Biography

      As an artist, for me drawing, performing, creating installations, means thinking, watching the world around me, taking it in and giving it a distinct new form, which can then be read and inter­preted by others. For me, creating means making a statement, dealing with politics, society and personal history and thus rendering it tangible. In my work, I trust in the moment, reacting associa­tively and taking what emerges from it further. The artistic action allows me to approach places and topics where I would not venture without a paintbrush, spray can or tacker.

      Many of my works are created on site and with the location and the situation on the scene. This brings me into contact and exchange with cities, nature and people.

      For several years, I have been working with colors on fabrics, often linen, table­cloths or curtains, with a history that remains unknown to me in most cases. It is recycled material which I use time and again. On the one hand, it is sparing use of raw materials and on the other hand, it is also a merging of an artistic process where, for example, stains are passed on.

      In my performances I bring together the various aspects of my work that are important to me. The narrative in space, text, making the working process visible, the moment, nothing stands still - everything flows, installation, music, movement, occupying the space, communication, sharing the experience. For me, a performance is like a three-dimensional image with sound and movement. 

      Born in 1973, I grew up in a restaurant my family ran in a small town. After a preparatory design course in Romanshorn, a period of residence in England and an education as a textile designer in Herisau, I studied illustration at the Lucerne School of Art and Design. In 1998, my daughter, Luisa, was born. Since 2003, I'm working as a freelance artist in St.Gallen.

      Since 2017, I invite people to draw with me at Kunstmuseum St.Gallen. In addition to drawing, I teach illustration and drawing for the introductory course at Schule für Gestal­tung in St.Gallen. I regularly go on reading tours in Swiss cantons and present workshops at home and abroad. I am co-editor of the comic magazine STRAPAZIN.

      I am a member of Visarte Switzerland, PANCH (Performance Art Network CH), ProLitteris, Archiv Ostschweizer Kunstschaffen, Réseau BD (Comic Network Switzerland), SCAA (Swiss Comics Artists Association), Autillus (children and adolescent book creators Switzerland) and GdSL (Society for German language and Literature).




    • Exhibitions and art actions

      • 2022

      • In the Stagger, Cartoonmuseum Basel, 26 March - 29 May

      • 2021

      • Overview, December exhibition, Kunsthalle Winterthur 

      • Goliath found her green shoes suitable to wait for the last dolphins to sing, Hiltibold - Raum für aktuelle Kunst, St.Gallen

      • Livepainting, Lika Nüssli feat Simon Grab Pulse and MJ Soundwalker, Neustartfestival, Kunstmuseum, St.Gallen, 11.9.

      • As long as I can be a sculpture, I don’t wanna die, performance with MJ Soundwalker, Swiss Performance Art Award, Lokremise St.Gallen, 28.8.

      • Fingers, showcase at Schwarzhochzwei, featured by Kunstverein St.Gallen

      • As long as I can be a rainbow, I don’t wanna die, performance with MJ Soundwalker, Rapid Openair Bonaduz, 31.7.

      • La vie est un long fleuve, large format watercolours at Kunstraum Kreuzlingen

      • Be Garden, performance with Falvio Hodel at oxyd – Kunsträume Winterthur, 6.7.

      • Meeting is a Garden, Multimedia-Installation with Flavio Hodel at oxyd – Kunsträume Winterthur

      • Mnemosyne - Remembering Memorably, group exhibition im Trudelhaus Baden

      • 2020

      • Brave New World exhibition, Gallery Gluri Suter Huus, Wettingen

      • Telepathy Recording, Performance with Marc Jenny, Gallery Gluri Suter Huus, Wettingen, 16.8.

      • Residency at Belgrade, scholarship from Kulturstiftung Thurgau

      • Crying Down my Sorrows, performance at Wall & Stage, Zürich 

      • 2019

      • Grosse Regionale, Friendly Shadow Performance with Marc Jenny and installation, Kunst(Zeug)Haus Rapperwil

      • Minimale, Folded New Ghost, groupe exhibition at Alpineum Produzentengalerie Luzern

      • March of the Feminists, drawing performance with Milva Stutz, Volumes, Zürich

      • Werkschau Thurgau, New Ghosts, installation und Gentle Revelation, performance at Kunsthalle Arbon

      • Vergiss Dich nicht, graphic novel reading, Dilit, Literaturfestival Biel

      • Revelation, performance with Beat Keller at Propstei St.Peterzell

      • Friendly Shadow, performance with Marc Jenny, Performance Openair St.Gallen

      • Luxus Privatsphäre - Mythos Anonymität, groupe exhibition at Propstei St.Peterzell

      • Nomadlab Friendly Shadow, performances, installations, Action Dehors, Lattich + Stadtpark St.Gallen, Park-Platz Letten Zürich, Seetalplatz Luzern,Terrain Gurzelen Biel, Big Biennale Genf, Schützenmatte Bern

      • Magic Peace Ritual, Action Dehors, Gaza, Palestine, Israel

      • Vergiss Dich nicht, graphic novel reading, Literaare, Thuner Literaturfestival

      • 2018

      •  Heimspiel, Drawinghell 7, installation at Kunstraum Dornbirn

      • ça fait mal au coeur, performance, Nextex St.Gallen

      • Fontaine des Femmes, Video-Installation at Nextex, Swiss Oriental 1431, Paris groupe exhibition

      • Inside Rain, Action Dehors and Installation, Hiltibold St.Gallen

      • ça fait mal au coeur, performance, Cité des arts international Paris

      • Shadows (Eurydike tells), play with livedrawing and music, Luzerner Theater

      • Don't forget yourself, bookpresentation at Fumetto-Comic­festival Luzern

      • Don't forget yourself, bookrelease at Kunstmuseum St.Gallen

      • Drawingsdisco #4, Livezdrawing with DJ + Dario Forlin, Palace St.Gallen

      • 2017

      • Drawingstudio at Kunstmuseum St.Gallen

      • The Yoga-Deal, performance at DeCAF Delhi Comic Arts Festival, India

      • Multisculpture, sounds: Marc Jenny, etc... Lattich St.Gallen

      • Bookpresentation and performance in Liberec, Czech Republic

      • Illuminated Sounds In A Social Hell, late-night-performance with Marc Jenny, Herbert Weber, ... at the Solothurner Literaturtagen

      • Dramatic Pause, Performance with Enrico Lenzin, Kunstmuseum Luzern

      • Bello e lento, satellite at the Fumetto Comic-Festival Luzern

      • Fabienne aime les oiseaux, performance with Enrico Lenzin, La Fête du Slip, Lausanne

      • 2016

      • Dream of the Rarebit Fiend, collective exhibition at BD-FIL Comic-Festival, Lausanne

      • Drawinghell Position 5, installation and performance at Kunstraum, Baden

      • Fabienne aime les oiseaux, Livezeichnen mit Musik live drawing with music by Enrico Lenzin at Délémont’BD Comic Festival

      • 10 Tage ohne Worte, performance with Herbert Weber for Projekt Transfer at Haus zur Glocke, Steckborn

      • Düsteres Dickicht, drawing performance with Talaya Schmid about Friedrich Glauser at Strauhof, Zurich

      • Drawinghell Position 4, at art space bblackboxx at the reception and deportation complex, Basel

      • 2015

      • Esels Vorfreude & Holy Family, film projections with Herbert Weber at Artvent on Pic-o-Pello-Platz, St.Gallen

      • Side by Side, Pas de deux 2 at Boom Comix-Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia

      • Suite des hommes, collective exhibition of Swiss female illustrators at Forum Meyrin, Geneva

      • Songs for the Sirens, performance as part of Drawinghell 3, six hours of singing and painting during Museumsnacht, St.Gallen

      • Drawinghell Position 3, light and drawing installation, city exhibition at Lagerhaus, St.Gallen

      • Mickey Mouse se battre! group production at BD-FIL Comic Festival, Lausanne

      • Zigi-Automat, artists from Eastern Switzerland at the APCd Fondation, Fribourg Marly

      • Drawinghell Position 2,  seven-day drawing performance and installation, Chamber of Fine Art as a guest at Kunstraum Bauhof, Winterthur

      • Tumbling Ball of Democracy, Pas de Deux 1, Russian-Swiss illustrators project at Fumetto Comix-Festival, Lucerne

      • 2014

      • Heiliger Ritt, film projection with Herbert Weber for Artvent on Pic-o-Pello-Platz, St.Gallen

      • minimale, collective exhibition at the Alpineum Produzentengalerie, Lucerne

      • Sie kommt und geht, drawing performance, Chamber of Fine Art, interim use in Zurich Oerlikon

      • Périples Masculins, collective exhibition at BD-FIL Comic-Festival, Lausanne

      • Gesprächsstoff, drawing action in public sphere in St.Gallen’s city centre

      • Kunstyoga, performance with Christine Enz at Frauenpavillon during Museumsnacht St.Gallen

      • Das ZeichnungsStudio, arm tattoos of people’s personal history at Frauenpavillon in St.Gallen’s city park

      • Fight-Flash-Painting, performance with Herbert Weber and DJ Nikon during Drawinghell 1, Hauptpost, St.Gallen

      • Schlaflose Nacht im Tal, light and drawing installation at Hotel Arthur, Kunsthallen Toggenburg

      • Ansichten aus dem Aquarium, slightly taxed illustrations on glass at Kulturbüro, St.Gallen

      • Kunstyoga, during Drawinghell 1 with Christine Enz in the context of 5fünfstern open ateliers

      • 3. Open Drawinghell Magic Again! sound and dance performance with Fa Ventilato, Eli Frey and Christine Enz

      • 2013

      • Side effects at Thurgau exhibition, performance Gerster & Nüssli at Kunstraum Kreuzlingen

      • Offene Schubladen, illustrations exhibition at Schloss Dottenwil near Wittenbach

      • 2. Open Drawinghell, performance with music by KA@KA from Luzern at Hauptpost, St.Gallen

      • 1. Open Drawinghell, performance with Bettinko & Mantel from Zurich at Hauptpost, St.Gallen

      • Stauber revisited, reactions to Jules Stauber’s drawings, collective exhibition at Cartoonmuseum, Basel

      • Drawinghell Position 1, temporary project at Hauptpost, St.Gallen

      • 2012

      • Je veux un chà du chat! Une cuisine - 15 auteurs de bande dessinée BD-FIL, Lausanne

      • RockArt, 61 Artistes - 61 Affiches, poster exhibition at RockenSeine, Paris

      • Den Scheich pinseln, Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, at the invitation of SBVV and Pro Helvetia

      • 2011

      • Monsieur Tambourin Box, walk-in installation and drawing performance in the context of the exhibition Ausgezeichnet at Kulturraum, St.Gallen

      • Improfessionals, 11th IBK artist encounters in Lindau, Germany

      • So Nicht! protest painting against the bill for reshaping St.Gallen’s market place

      • Vor Ort herumpinseln, drawing performance at KTV, Swiss artists exchange, Thun 


      • D‘Sueballä zum letzten Mal – Ehrenwort! culture bistro Alte Kaserne, Winterthur

      • D‘Sueballä versucht‘s nomol, satellite exhibition at Fumetto Comix-Festival, Lucerne

      • 2010

      • D’Sueballä – Alle Strips auf einen Streich! exhibition at St.Gallen’s townhall

      • Lika schafft, 20-meter drawing performance on paper and panes at Kunstraum Nextex, St.Gallen

      • 3 Flags, large drawings at Südpol, satellite exhibition Fumetto Comix-Festival, Lucerne

      • Ostgeburt der Hölle, comic anthology, collective exhibition at Alte Kaserne, Winterhur

      • 2009

      • Sueballä goes Fumetto, satellite exhibition at Meridiani during Fumetto Comix-Festival, Lucerne

      • 2008

      • 8xZeichnung, together with Daniela Rütimann, collective exhibition at Galerie Kultur in St.Gallen’s main statio

      • Lika malt Leni, at Museum Appenzell, picture book originals and sketches

      • Klimasurium! satellite exhibition with Daniela Rütimann at Fumetto Comix-Festival, Lucerne

      • St.Gallen – noir sur blanc, literary graffiti ancestry wall at Salon du Livres, Geneva

      • 2006

      • wenn und aber at Reussbad with Daniela Rütimann / Strapazin-Kleber at Die Handlung, two satellite exhibitions at Fumetto Comix-Festival, Lucerne

      • 2005

      • Erklär mir Liebe, collective exhibition for Fachstelle für Aids & Sexualfragen, St.Gallen and Appenzell

      • Von der Hirschkuh die gerne ein Schätzchen sein wollte, Galerie vor der Klostermauer, St.Gallen

      • Pira in der Haarbar, satellite exhibition with Daniela Rütimann at Fumetto Comix-Festival, Lucerne

      • 2003

      • Mini Monschter, satellite exhibition with Daniela Rütimann at Fumetto Comix-Festival, Lucerne

      • 2001

      • Almas marginale Welten, diploma exhibition, HGK, Lucerne

      • 2000

      • Das Tier, competition exhibition at Fumetto Comix-Festival, Lucerne

      • 1999

      • Wann sind Mütter eigentlich erfunden worden? exhibition at Löwen Sommeri, Thurgau

    • Awards

      • 2021

      • Werkbeitrag, Ausserrhodische Kulturstiftung's work grant for visual art 

      • 2021

      • Artist residency at Nairs (stay 2022)

      • 2021

      • Nomination Swiss Performance Art Award

      • 2021

      • Canton of St.Gallen’s work grant for applied art

      • 2020

      • Comic work grant of Pro Helvetia

      • 2019

      • Artist residency at Belgrade, scholarship from Kulturstiftung Thurgau (stay 2020)

      • 2018

      • Wahlverwandtschaften, foundation Erbprozent Kultur

      • 2017

      • Artist residency into the Cité inter­na­tionale des arts at Paris, scholarship from Visarteost (stay 2018)

      • 2016

      • Hauptpreis first price, comic scholarship of German-language Swiss cities

      • 2015
      • Canton of St.Gallen’s work grant for applied art
      • 2014

      • Werkbeitrag City of St.Gallen’s work grant for visual art

      • 2011
      • European Newspaper Award 12+1, together with WOZ die Wochenzeitung, in the category «Sonderseiten»
      • 2009
      • 2009 Bronze Award of the Exhibit Design Award, for «St.Gallen – schwarz auf weiss», book fair, Geneva
      • 2008
      • Canton of St.Gallen’s work grant for applied art
      • 2006

      • Schweizer Bilderbuchpreis

        Swiss picture book award



      Publications

      • 2022

      • Starkes Ding (Strong Thing), Lika Nüssli, Graphic Novel, Edition Moderne Zürch ISBN 978-3-03731-227-8

      • 2021

      • Moni heisst mein Pony (My pony is called Moni), Andrea Gerster, Lika Nüssli, SJW Zürich ISBN: 978-3-7269-0236-0

      • 2019

      • Es braucht Mut, the history of equality AR, comic drawn with Dario Forlin, Appenzellerverlag

      • Geografie der Freiheit / John-Berger-Project, anthology, Vexer St.Gallen

      • 2018

      • Don't forget yourself, Lika Nüssli, Grafic Novel, Vexer St.Gallen / Berlin

      • 2016

      • Persona X, A week in the Life of Nicolai, Sputnikat Press Moskau 2016 (anthology)

      • 2015

      • Kling & Klang, Enrico Lenzin, Lika Nüssli (booklet with CD)

      • Flipper Flipperchaschte, Spi Spa Spoken Word für Kinder, Der Gesunde Menschenversand Lucerne ISBN 978-3-03853-015-2 (audio book)

      • Side by Side 1, Lika Nüssli, Strapazin Nr. 118, Zurich (anthology)

      • La Revue Bédédphile # 1, Les édition Noir sur Blanc, Lausanne ISBN 978-2-88250-394-7 (anthology)

      • Grüne Milch und anderes, Andrea Gerster, Lika Nüssli, Vogelfrei St.Gallen ISBN 978-3-033-05176-8

      • 2014

      • Das 1. Mal, Lika Nüssli, Strapazin Nr. 117, Zurich (anthology)

      • The Best of Tarantino, Andrea Gerster, Lika Nüssli, SJW Zurich ISBN 978-3-7269-0615-3

      • Périples Masculins, 15 bédéistes et illustratrices croquent les hommes, Edition: BD-FIL Lausanne ISBN 978-294-043808-2 (anthology)

      • 2013

      • Wasser, Oh Dio! Lika Nüssli, Strapazin Nr. 111, Zurich (anthology)

      • Radio Waldrand, CD, Marius und die Jagdkapelle, St.Gallen

      • 2012

      • Dream, Alexandra Lavizzari, Lika Nüssli, SJW Zurich ISBN 978-3-7269-0615-3

      • La Cuisine, une cuisine - 15 auteurs de bande dessinée, Edition: BD-FIL Lausanne (anthology)

      • RockArt, 61 Artistes - 61 Affiches, RockenSeine, Paris

      • 2011

      • Im Kopf des Monsieur Tambourin, Lika Nüssli, Vogelfrei St.Gallen ISBN 978-3-033-03012-1

      • Der Sonntagsbraten, Lika Nüssli, Strapazin Nr. 105, Zurich (anthology)

      • 5 winzig kleine Zwerge, Brigitte Schär, Lika Nüssli, SJW Zurich ISBN 978-3-7269-0580-4

      • 2010

      • D‘Sueballä, alle Strips auf einen Streich, Lika Nüssli, Verlag Saiten St.Gallen ISBN 978-3-9521302-7-8

      • Wolkenkuckucksheim, Tim Krohn, Lika Nüssli, SJW Zurich ISBN 978-3-7269-0570-5

      • Instantgeschichten,
 Andrea Gerster, Monika Slamanig, Lika Nüssli, Verlag Saiten St.Gallen ISBN 978-3-9521302-6-1

      • Wildsaujagd, CD, Marius und die Jagdkapelle, St.Gallen, ISBN 978-3-033-02350-5


      • 2009

      • Platons Höhle, Tim Krohn, Lika Nüssli, SJW Zurich ISBN 978-3-7269-0550-7

      • 2008

      • Leni holt Hilfe, Ueli Ambühl, Lika Nüssli, Atlantis ISBN 978-3-7152-0558-8 (out of print)

      • Es Schlaflied für de Igel, Lika Nüssli, Marius & die Jagdkapelle, St.Gallen ISBN 978-3-7269-0550-7

      • 2007

      • Rehbockrock, 
CD, Marius und die Jagdkapelle, St.Gallen, ISBN 9783-003-01165-6

      • 2006

      • Unterm Bett ein Wunderstein, 
Lika Nüssli, Atlantis Zurich ISBN 978-37152-0525-0 (out of print)

      • Sechs Jäger wo nöd wönd jage, audiobook, 
Marius und die Jagdkapelle, St.Gallen ISBN 3-003-00401-6

      • 2005

      • Verschreckjäger
, CD, Marius und die Jagdkapelle, St.Gallen ISBN 3-003-00401-6