After receiving his master's degree from the Zurich University of Art and Design (ZHDK) Willy Spiller pursued further education in Milan where he gained experience in a wide variety of photographic disciplines. In the following years, the majority of his work was rooted in photojournalism. Travelling on his own or with various writers Willy Spiller has visited all five continents on his many assignments. His images have appeared in numerous leading European newspapers and magazines.

Spiller received prizes for both his published and exhibited work, most notably for his acclaimed books Pictures of a Local Reporter and Subway New York: People in the Underground. His latest book, Zürich 1967–1976, was published by EDITION BILDHALLE in 2019. The title speaks for itself, geographically and in terms of content: it shows the people who populate this city. Spiller took these pictures between 1967 and 1976 as a photo reporter, when he was in his twenties and hungry for adventure.

Spillers photographs have been on display in major exhibits in Cairo, Milan, New York, Paris and Zurich.His work has been acquired for world-renowned art collections such as Kunsthaus Zürich, Swiss National Museum, Fotostiftung Schweiz, Getty Collection, Musée l'Elysée, The Swiss Centre New York, as well as by private collectors.

Text courtesy Bildhalle.