He worked for a number of years in a graphic studio in Sweden before moving in 1987 to Copenhagen, Denmark. His early years in Copenhagen were spent at an in-house graphic studio, where he quickly advanced to head of his department. Once in Copenhagen, CHKZ contacted Danish designer and typographer Erik Ellegaard-Frederiksen, one-time apprentice of Jan Tschichold at Penguin Books during the late 1
940's and early 1950's. It was EEF who encouraged CHKZ to apply to Reading University in England - and it was while studying Typography & Graphic Communication at Reading (1991-1995) that CHKZ's interest for typography and book design became a full-blooded passion. After obtaining his degree, CHKZ returned to Copenhagen to set up his own design studio, POLYTYPE, in autumn 1995. In 2008, Tod Alan Spoerl joined CHKZ and Polytype on a full time capacity. SIMPLE SOLUTIONS FOR COMPLEX WORK I-IV
I: HIGHLY TEXTUAL
CHKZ is known as a specialist within »nitty-gritty« typography. Much of his work is highly textual, often requiring simple solutions for complex works, as illustrated by the latest edition of the Danish Hymnal (Den Danske Salmebog) - with its four formats and numerous bindings, a comprehensive dictionary (Den Danske Ordbog) in six volumes, a comprehensive work on grammar (Grammatik over det Danske Sprog, Vol. I-III) academic works with complex poetry or actors' dialogue compositions (Platons Samlede Værker, Vols. Lewis' Rumi · før og nu, øst og vest, 612 pages), or a monolithic single volume encyclopaedia containing 1,115 pages (Gyldendals Teaterleksikon). II: ILLUSTRATED WORKS
No less complicated are CHKZ's designs for numerous illustrated works, often double-volume luxury editions in large formats, like the mid-eighteenth century travelogue (Frederik Ludvig Nordens Rejse i Egypten og Nubien, Vol. I-II, 2010) published and presented to Queen Margrethe II on the occasion of her 70th birthday; late eighteenth to early nineteenth century furniture design and making (Møbler med Mening, Vol. I-II), Frederiksborg Castle (Frederiksborgs Genrejsning, Vol. I-II), as well as artist monologues (P.C. Skovgaard), exhibition catalogues (Lorenz Frøchlich · Helt sin egen, Danish Design Museum, Leonard Forslund · 99-11, Kunsthallerne Branderigården & Brandts). CKHZ's collaborative designs for a series of illustrated classics (Forlaget Vandkunsten) also deserve mention, fx. Hans Christian Andersen's Fodreisen (Kai Ulrik von Platen, 2005), Lee Edgar Masters' Spoon River (Leonard Forslund 2009), and Dylan Thomas' Under Mælkeskoven (Jesper Fabricius, 2010)
III: POSTER DESIGN ET AL. A series of posters for three separate exhibitions at Thorvaldsens Museum (Magtens Pris, 2012; Krop & Kanon 2009, Hvid Krist, 2007) are memorable and are now part of the poster archive at Designmuseum Danmark (formerly Kunstindustrimuseum), Copenhagen. Beyond books, exhibition posters, and artist catalogues, CHKZ's work also includes broad ranging graphic design: Exhibition signs, corporate identities and logos, sign systems, flyers, invitations, campaigns & promotions and member magazines to name a few. IV: EXHIBITION DESIGN
From 2012, and together with Tod Alan Spoerl, Carl-H.K. Zakrisson has ventured into exhibition design. Polytype's first independent project was for a touring exhibition entitled »Af Kærlighed til Grønland« (For the Love of Greenland) that centered around HRH Prince Henrik of Denmark's collection of Greenlandic folk art, including a selection of the prince's poetry and water colour paintings by Greenlandic painter Aka Høegh, as well as choice pieces from the Amalienborg Museum containing HM Queen Margrethe's folk costume and other assorted accessories from Greenland. Commencing at Schæffergården Gentofte-Copenhagen in 2012, the exhibition went on to Maison du Danemar in Paris (2013) where it received a completely new look. The exhibition is projected to arrive in Nuuk, Greenland during the spring of 2013 and from there to Bodø, Norway, with a final stop at the Museum for Religous Art in Lemvig, Denmark, later that same year. BOARD MEMBER AND REPRESENTATIVE
CHKZ has since 2019 been appointed as a representative of THE DANISH SOCIETY FOR BOOK CRAFTSMANSHIP on the Board of Trustees for THE BERGIA FOUNDATION (charitable organisation that supports projects and publications concerning craftsmanship, design, and architecture). AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Since its beginnings in 1995, Polytype's book designs are featured regularly at the annual »Best Book Design & Craftsmanship of the Year« festival. Major awards and recognition also include CHARLESWORTH GROUP MAIN AWARD 1997/1998 for »Typographical Excellence in Journal & Serial Publishing«; HONORARY DIPLOMA from The Danish Society for Book Craftsmanship for »Exceptional Contribution to the Field of Typographic Design« in 2000; LIS AHLMANN'S ENDOWMENT for an »Outstanding Typographic Contribution« in 2007; GRANT – DANISH ARTS FOUNDATION (STATENS KUNSTFUND) – for design and management of decoration of church interior (Helligtrekongers Kirke, Vallensbæk-Copenhagen), 2009; KNUD V. ENGELHARDT'S MEMORIAL FUND recognizes CHKZ for »possessing an exceptional capacity for design« in 2010; BOOK OF THE YEAR 2010 AWARD for »Under Mælkeskov« from The Danish Society for Book Craftsmanship; the Swedish BERLING AWARD 2011, the Danish THORVALD BINDESBØLL MEDAL 2012, and most recently ALBERTSEN FOUNDATION HONOURARY AWARD 2021
________________________________________________
THE FOLLOWING SECTION CONTAINS
CHKZ PROFESSIONAL DATA
· Publishers
· Institutions
· Museums, Galleries & Exhibition Venues
· Associates
· Awards, Grants & Recognition
· Articles by CHKZ
· Articles about CHKZ
PUBLISHERS
· Aarhus Universitetsforlag / Aarhus University Press
· Yale University Press, New York
· Hatje Cantz Verlag, Berlin
· Bibelselskabet
· Det Danske Sprog- og Litteraturselskab
· Gyldendal
· Gads Forlag
· Arkitektens Forlag / The Danish Architectural Press
· Strandberg Publishing
· Forlaget Mind Space
· Det kongelige Bibliotek
· Forening for Boghaandværk
· Forlaget Vandkunsten
· Carsten Niebuhr Biblioteket
· Davids Samling / The David Collection
· Lindhardt & Ringhof (Egmont)
· Forlaget Samfundslitteratur
· Politikens/Jyllands-Postens/Ekstra Bladets Forlag
· Hans Reitzels Forlag
· Nyt Nordisk Forlag
· Ikaros Press
· Akademisk Forlag
· Munksgaard Danmark
INSTITUTIONS
· Ny Carlsbergfondet / The New Carlsberg Foundation
· Den Kongelige Bibliotek / The Royal Library
· Udenrigsministeriet / Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark
· La Maison du Danemark – Paris
· Nordisk Ministerråd / The Nordic Council of Ministers
· Havehistorisk Selskab / Historical Society of Gardens and Gardening
· Danish-Egyptian Dialogue Institute – Cairo
· Danes (formerly Danes Worldwide, formerly Dansk Samvirke)
MUSEUMS, GALLERIES & EXHIBITION VENUES
· Ordrupgaard
· Den Hirschsprungske Samling
· Willumsens Museum
· Statens Museum for Kunst / National Gallery of Denmark
· Thorvaldsens Museum
· Rosenborg – Kongernes Samling / Royal Danish Collections
· Holstebro Kunstmuseum
· Nivaagaards Malerisamling / The Nivaagaard Collection
· Vejen Kunstmuseum
· Skagens Museum
· Skovgaard Museet
· Museum Lolland-Falster
· Nationalmuseet / National Museum of Denmark
· Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek
· Fuglsang Museum
· Maison du Danemark, Paris
· The Viking Ship Museum · Roskilde
· Designmuseum Danmark (formerly Kunstindustrimuseet)
· Michael og Anna Anchers Hus · Saxilds Gaard
· Kunsthallen Nikolaj · Copenhagen Contemporary Art Centre
· Galerie Susanne Højriis
· Galerie Birch
ASSOCIATES
· Peter Linde Busk (Visual artist)
· Maria Fabricius Hansen (Professor History of Art, Copenhagen University)
· Jesper Svenningsen (Project researcher, Statens Museum for Kunst)
· Chris Fischer (Head of Centre for Advanced Studies in Master Drawings)
· Dr. Margrethe Floryan (Curator, Thorvaldsens Museum)
· Jesper Christiansen (Visual artist)
· Merete Pryds Helle (Author)
· Christian Vind (Visual artist)
· Allan Daastrup, Types United (Type designer)
· Pernille Klemp (Photographer)
· Bjørn Pierri Enevoldsen (Photographer)
· Katja Johansen (Textile conservator, Rosenborg Castle, retired)
· Jørgen Hein (Curator, Rosenborg Castle)
· Elisabeth Fabritius (Researcher and author)
· Jesper Fabricius (Visual artist and publisher)
· Leonard Forslund (Visual artist)
· Cai Ulrik von Platen (Visual artist)
· Åse Eg Jørgensen (Book & graphic designer)
· Per Baasch Jørgensen, Graphorama (Book & graphic designer)
· Toni Larsen (Visual artist)
· Julie Sass (Visual artist)
· Claus Due, Designbolaget (Graphic designer)
· Peder Elgaard Nielsen, Erik Møller Arkitekter (Architect)
AWARDS, GRANTS & RECOGNITION
· 2021 | ALBERTSEN FOUNDATION'S HONOURARY AWARD »in recognition of a long-standing and cumulative effort in book design of the highest quality and greatest diversification, including a body of work that conveys art and craftsmanship in the most exemplary way«.
· 2012 | THE THORVALD BINDESBØLL MEDAL is bestowed upon CHKZ for his »invariable sense of aesthetics and the propensity to unite content, form and craftsmanship, for a persistent experimentation that presents the book as a unique and unified object, and for aptly elevating literary content with no compromise to a book's overall integrity«.
· 2011 | BERLING AWARD is given to »prominent Swedish designers for exemplary design, technical skill and excellent treatment of letters«. CHKZ is the only non-resident to receive this Swedish award in its 20-year existence.
· 2010 | KNUD V. ENGELHARDT'S MEMORIAL FUND recognizes CHKZ for »possessing an exceptional capacity for design«.
· 2010 | BOOK OF THE YEAR goes to »Under Mælkeskoven«. CHKZ receives the newly established »DANISH BOOK DESIGN AWARD« from The Society for Book Craftsmanship (Forening for Boghåndværk).
· 2009 | GRANT · DANISH ARTS FOUNDATION (STATENS KUNSTFUND)
Design and mangement of decoration for church interior: Helligtrekongers Kirke, Vallensbæk-Copenhagen, opened/consecrated 2012.
· 2007 | LIS AHLMANN'S HONORARY ENDOWMENT is granted to CHKZ for an »Outstanding Typographic Contribution«.
· 2001 | FIRST PRIZE IN INVITED COMPETITION
CHKZ'S DESIGN FOR THE DANISH HYMNAL is the winning selection. In a nation of no more than 5.5 million inhabitants, and with a print run of not less than a million copies, DEN DANSKE SAMLEBOG is viewed as the most important publication of recent times.
· 2000 | AN HONORARY DIPLOMA and local recognition is awarded to CHKZ for an »Exceptional Contribution to the Field of Typographic Design« from THE DANISH SOCIETY FOR BOOK CRAFTSMANSHIP.
· 1997/1998 | INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION for the design of an international medical journal (Immunological Reviews, Munksgaard Copenhagen): CHKZ is awarded the prestigious CHARLESWORTH GROUP MAIN AWARD for »Typographical Excellence in Journal & Serial Publishing 1997/98«. ARTICLES BY CHKZ
https://bibliotek.kk.dk/ting/search/facet.creator%3D%22Carl-H.%20K.%20Zakrisson%22
Zakrisson, Carl-H.K., »Den gode tilrettelæggelse«. Bogvennen, 2007. Den gode bog, pp. 37-40, Copenhagen: Forening for Boghåndværk, 2009. Zakrisson, Carl-H.K., »Den Danske Salmebog 2002«. Newspaper feature (kronik). Kristeligt dagblad, 3 June 2003. http://www.kristeligt-dagblad.dk/artikel/146709:Kronik--Den-Danske-Salmebog-2002
Zakrisson, Carl-H.K., »Luftige værdier. Atten praktiske øvelser i skriftklogskab«. Bogvennen, 1998-99. Det tomme rum, pausen og det hvide papir. Med to artikler om tysk bogdesign, pp. 163-192, Copenhagen: Forening for Boghåndværk, 2002. Morgan, John, S. Bailey & C.-H.K. Zakrisson, »Arbejdsrum. Syv grafiske arbejdspladser set gennem nøglehullet«. Med to artikler om tysk bogdesign, pp. 91-110, Copenhagen: Forening for Boghåndværk, 2002. Zakrisson, Carl-H.K., »Nok se, men ikke læse! Et essay om typografiske idealer«. Bogvennen, 1997. Stil & smag. Form & function, pp. 61-68, Copenhagen: Forening for Boghåndværk, 1998. Zakrisson, Carl-H.K., »Erik Ellegaard Frederiksens artikler og bøger«. Form & funktion, pp. 123-136, Forening for Boghåndværk, 1998. Zakrisson, Carl-H.K., »Erik Ellegaard Frederiksen, Designer in Denmark«. Dissertation, Typography & Graphic Communication, The University of Reading, UK, 1995.https://jorgenellegaard.dk/onewebmedia/EEF/EEF%20eng%20bio%20CZ.pdf
ARTICLES ABOUT CHKZ
Graa Christensen, Louise & Lea Holtze: »Biblen skal først og fremmest kunne læses«, Bibelselskabet, 26 May 2014. http://www.bibelselskabet.dk/nyheder/nyhedsoversigt/arkiv2014/carl_zakrisson
Bertelsen, Jens: 'Et broget billedstof' (Jens Bertelsen motiverer Den Dansk Bogdesignpris 2010 til værket »Under mælkeskoven ...«), Nyt for Bogvenner, nr. 2, 2011, s. 8-10 https://issuu.com/boghaandvaerk/docs/3nfb_11-2
Kaaber, Christian: »Dansk bogdesign i det 20. århundrede«, book review, Dansk Historisk Fællesråd
https://www.historie-online.dk/boger/anmeldelser-5-5/kunst-arkitektur-haver-design-mode/dansk-bogdesign-i-det-20-aarhundrede
Kjær, Birgitte: »Hvordan ser en virkelig lækker bog egentlig ud?«, Politiken,
25 September 2022
https://politiken.dk/kultur/boger/art8959209/Hvordan-ser-en-virkelig-lækker-bog-egentlig-ud
Kure, Henrik, »Udseende sælger«, DJØF StudSamf Bladet, nr. 4, 2003, 26 October 2004. http://www.djoef.dk/blade/djoefstuderende/studsamfbladet2003/djoefstudsamfbladetnr42003/udseendesaelger.aspx
Schulz, Henrik, »Godt design holder mindst en generation«. Kristeligt Dagblad, 20 February 2003. http://www.kristeligt-dagblad.dk/artikel/157145:Kirke---tro--Godt-design-holder-mindst-en-generation
Thomsen, Sara Maarup: »120 hyldemeter bøger og 14 udgaver af Bibelen«, Kristeligt Dagblad, 09 December 2017
https://www.kristeligt-dagblad.dk/kultur/120-hyldemeter-boeger-og-14-udgaver-af-bibelen
Thomsen, Søren Ulrik: »En skriftlig kirkeudsmykning«, Kristeligt Dagblad, 27 October 2012
https://www.kristeligt-dagblad.dk/kultur/en-skriftlig-kirkeudsmykning
»Thorvald Bindesbøll Medaljen 2012 · Designer og grafisk tilrettelægger Carl-Henrik Kruse Zakrisson«
https://akademiraadet.dk/thorvald-bindesboell-medaljen-2012/
»Bagsværd Kirke er udvalgt til bog om vellykket betonarkitektur«, Dansk Byggeri, 14 June 2018
https://via.ritzau.dk/pressemeddelelse/13066668/bagsvaerd-kirke-er-udvalgt-til-bog-om-vellykket-betonarkitektur?publisherId=12604233
ONLINE BIOGRAPHIES
Carl-H K (Carl-Henrik Kruse) Zakrisson
https://www.kristeligt-dagblad.dk/profiler/carl-h-k-carl-henrik-kruse-zakrisson
Poul Steen Larsen: »Carl H.K. Zakrisson«, Den Store Dansk Leksikon https://denstoredanske.lex.dk/Carl_H.K._Zakrisson
