Hans Rudolf Giger's biomechanical horror fantasy, part 1

O Hans Rudolf Giger είναι Ελβετός σουρεαλιστής καλλιτέχνης, στα έργα του οποίου κυριαρχεί μια σύζευξη μηχανικού και βιολογικού κόσμου, συχνά με στοιχεία φετιχιστικής σεξουαλικής φαντασίας. Είναι ο δημιουργός του γνωστού τέρατος Alien στη γνωστή σειρά κινηματογραφικών ταινιών το οποίο του απέφερε και όσκαρ.

Εχει σχεδιάσει εξώφυλλα πολλών ροκ καλλιτεχνών (Emerson Lake Palmer, Carcass, Celtic Frost, Atrocity, Magma, Danzing, κλπ) και έχει επιμεληθεί στο ντεκόρ από δύο μπαρ στην πατρίδα του εμπνευσμένο από την ταινία Alien. Τα έργα του έχουν εκδοθεί στις συλλογές Necronomicon I & II.

Πάσχει απο μια διαταραχή ύπνου που λέγεται pavor nocturnus, ξυπνάει δηλαδή σε κατάσταση έντονου τρόμου από εφιάλτες και μέχρι ένα σημείο τα έργα του είναι εμπνευσμένα από αυτές του τις εμπειρίες.

Hans Rudolf Giger born in Switzerland is a Swiss surrealist painter, sculptor, and set designer, who won an Academy Award for Best Achievement for Visual Effects for his design work on the film Alien.

Celtic Frost "To Mega Therion" album cover

Giger's style and thematic execution have been influential. His design for the Alien was inspired by his painting Necronom IV and earned him an Oscar in 1980. His books of paintings, particularly Necronomicon and Necronomicon II (1985) and the frequent appearance of his art in Omni magazine continued his rise to international prominence. Giger is also well known for artwork on several records.

His most distinctive stylistic innovation is that of a representation of human bodies and machines in a cold, interconnected relationship, described as "biomechanical". His paintings often display fetishistic sexual imagery. His main influences were painters Ernst Fuchs and Salvador Dalí. He met Salvador Dalí, to whom he was introduced by painter Robert Venosa. He was also a personal friend of Timothy Leary.

Giger is perhaps the best-known sufferer of night terrors and his paintings are all to some extent inspired by his experiences with that particular sleep disorder. He studied interior and industrial design at the School of Commercial Art in Zurich (from 1962 to 1970) and made his first paintings as a means of art therapy.

Giger has applied his biomechanical style to interior design. Two Giger Bars in his native Switzerland (in Gruyères and Chur)were built under Giger's close personal supervision and reflect his original concepts for them accurately. (wikipedia)

Visit also his personal site.