Niklaus Troxler (born May 1, 1947) is a Swiss graphic designer and poster designer. He organized the Willisau Jazz Festival from 1975 to 2009.
Biography Troxler studied graphic design at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. He worked as an art director in Paris (1972). 1973 he founded his own design studio in Willisau, Switzerland. He began organizing jazz concerts in Willisau in 1966 (till 2013) and initiated the Willisau Jazz Festival in 1975. He directed the festival until 2009, when its organization was taken over by his nephew, Arno Troxler.Niklaus Troxler and Olivier Senn: "Willisau and All That Jazz". Till Schaap Edition, Berne 2013, . Ueli Bernays: "Ein Troxler geht, ein Troxler kommt", in: Neue Zürcher Zeitung: Nr. 201, 2009. p. 39.
Troxler's graphic works, particularly his concert posters and record cover designs, have achieved widespread international recognition. He is an elected member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI).Ben Bos, Elly Bos (Ed.): "AGI – Graphic Design since 1950." Thames & Hudson, London 2007, . His posters are held in major permanent design collections worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City,Stuart Wrede: "The Modern Poster." Museum of Modern Art, New York 1988, . the Museum of Modern Art in Toyama, Hamburg's Museum for Art and Industry, the German Poster Museum in Essen, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, the Museum Für Gestaltung (Design Museum) Zürich.
From 1998 to 2013, Troxler was professor for communication design at the State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart.Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Künste Stuttgart (Ed.): "Das allgemeine Nachschlagewerk der Fachgruppe Design." Stuttgart 2010, .
Awards and honors Troxler has received numerous international design accolades and cultural distinctions for his poster designs and contribution to visual arts: 1982: Innerschweizer Kulturpreis (Cultural Award of Central Switzerland)Erziehungsdepartement des Kantons Luzern (Ed.): "Innerschweizer Kulturpreise 1982". Innerschweizer Kulturstiftung, Luzern 1982. 1987, 1994: Toulouse-Lautrec Medal in Gold, German Poster Museum, Essen, GermanyUwe Loesch (Ed.): "5. Triennale im Deutschen Plakatmuseum Essen." Essen 1987 [exh. cat.], ISBN 3-923199-15-5.Deutsches Plakat-Forum e.V. (Ed): "7. Triennale – Die besten Plakate 1990-1993." Schmidt, Mainz 1994 [exh. cat.], ISBN 3-87439-324-0. 1993: Grand Prix Award, Lahti Poster Biennale, Finland 1994: Honorary citizenship of his hometown, Willisau. 1997: Gold Award, Helsinki Poster Biennale, FinlandKari Castrén (Ed.): "Helsingin julistebiennale 97, Grafia." Helsinki 1997 [exh. cat.], ISBN 978-9-51-961036-8. 2003: Gold Award, China International Poster Biennial (Hangzhou)Chen Zhengda (Ed.): "China International Poster Biennial 2003." Hangzhou 2003 [exh. cat.]. 2005: Taiwan International Poster Design AwardHung-Hsiang Chiu, Ling-Ling Fan (Ed.): "2005 Taiwan International Poster Design Award." Taipei 2005 [exh. cat.]. 2006: Jury Award, 14th Colorado International Invitational Poster Exhibition (CIIPE), USA 2006: Gold Award, 4th International Poster Biennial in Ningbo, ChinaNingbo Graphic Designers Association (Ed.): "The 4th International Poster Biennial 2006." Ningbo 2006 [exh. cat.]. 2022: Grand Prix at the Golden Bee in Moscow 2025: Doctor Honoris Causa, Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, Poland
Publications Niklaus Troxler: "Jazz Blvd. – Niklaus Troxler Posters." Müller, Baden/Switzerland 1999, . Niklaus Troxler and Olivier Senn: "Willisau and All That Jazz." Till Schaap Edition, Berne 2013, .
Manfred Buholzer: "Jazz in Willisau – Wie Niklaus Troxler den Free Jazz nach Willisau brachte." Comenius Verlag, Lucerne 2004, . Jianping He (Ed.): "The Master of Design - Niklaus Troxler." Page One, Singapore 2006, . Roxane Jubert (Ed.): "Niklaus Troxler – Designer & Design." Pyramyd, Paris 2007, . Ginza Graphic Gallery (Ed.): "Niklaus Troxler." GGG Books, Tokyo 2007, . Niklaus Troxler- Poster collection 34.Lars Müller publisher zurich 2022 Niklaus Troxler - serious fun design international, Hangzhou/Berlin 2023
Filmography Angelo A. Lüdin and Barbara Zürcher: "Niklaus Troxler - Jazz in Willisau - Ein Leben mit Jazz und Grafikdesign." (Documentary, point de vue, Basel 2011, 75 minutes).
References
External links Niklaus Troxler’s webpage The Willisau Jazz Archive Jazz Festival Willisau German Wikipedia article on Niklaus Troxler