H.R. Giger
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| Giger in his studio, circa 2012. | |
| Birth name | Hans Ruedi Giger |
|---|---|
| Born | February 05, 1940 |
| Died | May 12, 2014 |
| Occupation | Surrealist Artist, Sculptor, Designer |
| Nationality | Swiss |
| Notable work | Alien, Species, Poltergeist II: The Other Side |
| Notable artifacts | Xenomorph Suit, Facehugger, Chestburster, Derelict Alien "Space Jockey" Chair, Alien Egg |
| Awards | Academy Award for Best Visual Effects (1980) |
| External Links | |
| Wikipedia | Link |
| IMDb | Link |
| Official Site | Link |
Hans Ruedi "H.R." Giger (1940–2014) was a Swiss surrealist artist whose nightmarish vision was responsible for the iconic design of the titular creature and its related artifacts in the film Alien.
Biography & Career
Born in Chur, Switzerland, Giger studied architecture and industrial design before pursuing a career in fine art. He quickly developed a reputation for his surreal and often disturbing paintings and sculptures. He was introduced to director Ridley Scott by screenwriter Dan O'Bannon, who had previously worked with Giger on Alejandro Jodorowsky's aborted Dune project. Scott was immediately captivated by Giger's book of art, Necronomicon, and hired him to design the alien elements for the film.[1] His work on Alien, alongside collaborators like Carlo Rambaldi and Brian Johnson, earned him an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects in 1980.[2]
Signature Style
Giger's work is defined by its "biomechanical" aesthetic, a term he coined to describe the fusion of human anatomy and physiology with machinery and technology. His art is characteristically dark, monochromatic, and deeply imbued with nightmarish and sexual imagery. This unique style was instrumental in creating the unsettling and truly alien feel of the Xenomorph and its environment.
Notable Artifact Contributions
The following is a list of notable artifacts designed or constructed by H.R. Giger.
| Artifact | Media | Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Xenomorph Suit | Alien | Lead designer. The creature's entire form was based on his 1976 painting Necronom IV. He sculpted the creature's body using plasticine over a real human skull and snake vertebrae, and collaborated with Carlo Rambaldi on the animatronic head.[3] |
| Facehugger | Alien | Created the initial concept paintings. The final design was a collaboration, but it was Giger's "finger-like" digits that defined the creature's look. |
| Derelict Alien "Space Jockey" Chair | Alien | Designed the entire derelict spacecraft, its corridors, and the iconic "Space Jockey" pilot, based on his painting Landscape XX.[3] |
| Alien Egg | Alien | Designed the leathery, organic egg (Ovomorph) with its four-lobed opening, which he envisioned as a "vagina with a cross." He suggested using real animal parts for the interior to create a realistic effect.[4] |
Filmography
- Alien (1979) - Alien design
- Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) - Creature design
- Alien 3 (1992) - Alien design (redesigned)
- Species (1995) - Creature design
Trivia
- Giger was not just a designer; he was hands-on during production, often airbrushing the sets and props himself to ensure they matched his vision.
See Also
References
- ↑ "HR Giger obituary," The Guardian, May 13, 2014.
- ↑ "Giger, H R," The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, October 29, 2021.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 J.W. Rinzler, The Making of Alien, Titan Books, 2019, p. 114.
- ↑ "H.R. Giger and the Making of Alien," Zenovich Productions.