Get Swiss or Die Trying is a project through which Marvin Merkel explores his relationship with Swiss national identity. Having neither a passport, family ties, nor roots in Switzerland, the designer has never truly identified as Swiss, even though he has lived here his entire life. The images that make up this project reflect his attempts to reconcile with his homeland and its national identity.

These clumsy attempts offer a fresh perspective on national identity. They render the traditions, figures and monuments that every citizen is taught to admire as comical and absurd, allowing them to be viewed in a new light.

His symbols have become counterfeits of themselves, raising the question: did they ever truly exist, or were they merely constructs designed to unite the population, impose a model and conceal inconvenient truths—like Nazi gold or colonial chocolate?

Despite his criticisms, the designer remains fascinated by Switzerland. Instead of seeking an identity that does not truly exist, he creates his own—a humorous, offbeat one, with cardboard mountains and cervelat Rolexes. Blending tribute with critique, it reflects Switzerland as it is: beautiful yet flawed.