Sarah Furrer, known as SAFU, is a Swiss illustrator and mural artist. Her hand-drawn illustrations are published in prominent magazines like Reportagen or can be spotted at the Opernhaus Zurich. Her murals welcome people at places such as the Zurich airport or MAZ in Lucerne. Some of her works were shown in group exhibitions in Beijing and Shanghai, China. Sarah Furrer has also been teaching graphic design in Switzerland and held guest lectures at the Temple University of Tokyo.
Contact
SAFU | Sarah Furrer
Kochstrasse 18
8004 Zurich
hello@iamsafu.ch
Illustration & Mural Art
Sarah Furrer creates illustrations that depict a wide variety of objects, people, animals, and buildings, characterized by clear black lines. Her work combines both digital and analog techniques. No AI involved at any work stage. Inspired by mural and urban art, she often integrates illustration with graphic design.
Graphic Design & Art Direction
Whether working on a product, a person, or a topic, Furrer’s graphic design adapts to the content, shaping it with a distinct visual language. She strives for designs that not only communicate but also embody the passion and energy of the people they represent.
Education & Background
Furrer studied graphic design at the School of Art and Design in Lucerne and gained experience at various design agencies in Berlin, Bern, and Zurich. Since 2014, she has been working as a self-employed illustrator and mural artist.
Born in Switzerland, she spent the first six years of her life in sunny San Diego before returning to Switzerland, living in Lucerne and later settling in Zurich. Her artworks reflect a rich tapestry of influences, drawn from her travels, books, magazines, daily life, and music. She merges these inspirations into a distinctive artistic style, shaping each of her projects with a unique visual identity.
Personal Highlights
2026: Invited by FUMETTO and the Swiss Embassy in China to participate in a group exhibition «Tales of Now» by FUMETTO at the Minsheng Art Museum in Shanghai.
2025: Invited by FUMETTO and the Swiss Embassy in China to participate in a group exhibition at the Tsinghua Art Museum in Beijing, designed by Mario Botta. During her two-week stay, she created two murals for the exhibition ONCE UPON A PAGE.
2024: Released Arigato Nippon, an illustrated travel book about Japan, which debuted at the Fumetto Comic Festival in Lucerne. The book is also featured in Deborah Enzmann’s Emojization, published by Niggli Verlag.
2023: Contributed to the Urban Art Project at Zurich Airport, painting a large-scale mural in the tunnel connecting "The Circle" with the terminals.
2019 & 2021: Featured in the Fumetto Comic Festival in Lucerne with her zines SUKSMĀ BALI and This Isn’t Happiness.
2014: Invited by the Athens Street Art Festival and the Swiss Embassy to paint a mural for a local school. The festival hosted international artists, using street art as a means to counter the prevailing crisis through creativity.
Selected Clients
Stadt Zürich Grün Stadt Zürich Stadt Zürich Hochbaudepartement Raffinerie AG für Gestaltung Reportagen Magazin Opernhaus Zürich MAZ - Institut für Journalismus und Kommunikation Planted Foods AG Swiss Life Karl der Grosse SWATCH berry AG Universität Luzern SJW Schweizerisches Jugendschriftenwerk ainiac entertainment gmbh Zürich Flughafen Herburg Weiland Pizzeria Ristorante Molino ortoloco - die Gemüsekooperative Les Belles de Nuit Schulverlag Plus AG HILTL Sihlcity Allianz Comerge AG Hive Club Zürich Bilanz Magazin YamaSake – Manufaktur Stala Sett Atelier Ushi Tamborriello Züritipp Rework AG ...
Selected Publications
2024
Emojization by Deborah Enzmann, Niggli Verlag
&
Arigato Nippon - illustrated travel book, selfmade publishing
2021
Freistil Vol.7: Best of European Commercial Illustration, Verlag Hermann Schmidt
2019
This isn't happiness - Zine, selfmade publishing
&
SUKSMĀ BALI - illustrated travel zine, selfmade publishing
2016
Schneller als Licht by Bettina Spoerri, SJW Verlag
Selected Exhibitions
2026
«Tales of Now» by FUMETTO & Swiss Embassy in China, Minsheng Art Museum, Shanghai CHN
2025
«Ones upon a page» FUMETTO & Swiss Embassy in China, Tsinghua Art Museum, Beijing CHN
2024
FUMETTO Satelliten Exhibition, Lucerne CH
2023
Volumes Art Publishing Days, Zurich CH
2022
Volumes Art Publishing Days, Zurich CH
2021
FUMETTO Satelliten Exhibition, Lucerne CH
2020
This isn't happiness, Haus zur Ameise, St.Gallen CH
2019
FUMETTO Satelliten Exhibition, Lucerne CH
&
Neusicht Festival, Neubad Lucerne CH
2017
Design Festival Bern Progr, Bern CH
2016
Neusicht Festival, Neubad Lucerne CH
&
SJW Vernissage Theater Stadelhof, Zurich CH
2015
Neusicht Festival, Neubad Lucerne CH
&
Jung Kunst 15 CONTAINER, Winterthur CH
2014
Jung Kunst 14, Winterthur CH