H.R Giger

                                                                                                    

Biography On H.R Giger by Eddy Ferreira

            My First Exporse to Giger's work was as it was to many, The 1979 hit, Alien, His Creatures invoked Fear and awe in my young mind back then. I thought nothing much of it at the time other than to flee and never see the film again. When I was in My teens I was buying Music and came across a band known in the Music Underground as Celtic Frost. There Album Cover entitled To Mega Therion was Painted by none other than Giger himself. after much research doing for that album cover, not only did i become a follower in his church of dark paintings, I asked myself, what does it take to bring out such Morbid Designs into the Spot light.

            Giger was born in Chur, Graubünden canton, Switzerland in February 5 1940. He comes from a family of well known Chemist in Switzerland. In 1962 , he moved o Zurich, Where he began his first Art works which mostly consisted of Ink drawings and oil paintings. Which later on it resulted in his First Solo exhibition  A short while later he discovered the airbrush and developed his own unique freehand painting using the airbrush.

            One of Giger's most famous and renowned work was his involvement on the creature concepts and the set pieces for the 1979 blockbuster hit, Alien. A film dircted by Ridley Scott. Ridley Scott contracted Giger   after seeing his published art book called the Necromonicon which the aliens in the movies derived and were inspired from. Ridley went to Switzerland to talk with Giger and get him working on the on the creatures and Set pieces in the Film. According to Giger he said that is was suppose to done within a few weeks but those weeks turned into 7 month. All of that hard work paid off, In 1979 the film was released and it became a Success and in 1980 Giger was Awarded an Oscar for his art work and creature design in the film.   

            As a child Giger was tormented by nightmares he would have and he would dream about gigantic bottomless shafts and a stairway that would lead down into a dark abyss as he would describe. As A child he would build Skeletons out of cardboard, wires and Plaster. One a Interesting note he also has an overwhelming disgust of snakes and worms which are projected throughout his well known art work.

            Most of Giger's Critics and Reviewers praise his artworks and leave a Positive review on his artwork. One reviewer at the New York times praises how he combines the elements of the erotic and fuse them with ferocity of the way he paints, "A mysterious blend of erotic beauty and ferocity"- New York Times. Another Timothy Leary best known for his psychedelic therapy said " Giger, you are an alien lurking inside my body, laying your futique eggs of wonder".

            After many readings and watching of the film alien, I can rest assure that Giger's work invoke a strong sense of mystery and decentralizes what I thought as weird. He can peer into a Humans deep and dark subconscious and bring them out into the spotlight. When His pictures are out in the spot lights, rest assure they will Plant a Face hugger and lay it's eggs into your brain. Invoking both Awe and Fear. His work Surely did all of this and more to my mind.