XYLON Schweiz currently has around 50 artists. The association aims to promote woodcut and other artistic relief printmaking techniques. It seeks to draw the attention of artists, curators, and cultural institutions to the contemporary expression of this technique and its creativity. XYLON’s activities include exhibitions and the publication of the XYLON Zeitschrift, a periodical with original prints. The association fosters contact among its members and with other regional sections, such as XYLON Germany (xylondeutschland.de) and XYLON Austria (xylon-oesterreich.at).
XYLON International was founded in Zurich in 1953 to expand the work of the Swiss association Xylos (Greek for “wood”), which was established in Bern in 1944, to an international level. Belgian woodcutter Frans Masereel (1889-1972) was a founding member and the first president of the international association. In the fall of 1953, the first triennial, XYLON I, opened at the Kunsthaus Zurich and was subsequently shown in various European countries. Until 1997, XYLON exhibitions with international participants were held regularly in various Swiss cities with the support of local art museums. These exhibitions were also shown in several European countries. As a result, several autonomous national sections were established worldwide. Today, XYLON International is no longer active.
