H. R. Giger
| H. R. Giger | |
|---|---|
Giger in 2012
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| Born |
Hans Rudolf Giger 5 February 1940 Chur, Graubünden, Switzerland |
| Died | 12 May 2014 (aged 74) Zürich, Switzerland |
| Cause of death | Complications from falling |
| Nationality | Swiss |
| Occupation | Painter, sculptor, set designer, film director |
| Style | Science fiction, fantasy, occult, macabre |
| Spouse(s) | Mia Bonzanigo (1979–81; divorced) Carmen Maria Scheifele (2006–14; his death) |
| Partner(s) | Li Tobler (1966–75) |
| Website | hrgiger |
Hans Rudolf "H.R." Giger (/ˈɡiːɡər/ GHEE-gur; German: [ˈɡiːɡər]; 5 February 1940 – 12 May 2014) was a Swiss surrealist painter, whose style was adapted for many forms of media, including record-albums, furniture and tattoo-art.
The Zurich-based artist was best known for airbrush images of humans and machines linked together in a cold 'biomechanical' relationship. Later he abandoned airbrush work for pastels, markers or ink. He was part of the special effects team that won an Academy Award for design work on the film Alien. In Switzerland there are two theme-bars that reflect his interior designs, and his work is on permanent display at the H.R. Giger Museum at Gruyères.
Giger was born in 1940 in Chur, capital city of Graubünden, the largest and easternmost Swiss canton. His father, a pharmacist, viewed art as a "breadless profession" and strongly encouraged him to enter pharmacy, Giger recalled. He moved to Zürich in 1962, where he studied architecture and industrial design at the School of Applied Arts until 1970.
Giger's first success was when H. H. Kunz, co-owner of Switzerland's first poster publishing company, printed and distributed Giger's first posters, beginning in 1969.
Giger's style and thematic execution were influential. He was part of the special effects team that won an Academy Award for Best Achievement in Visual Effects for their design work on the film Alien. 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 was admitted to the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 2013. He is also well known for artwork on several music recording albums including Brain Salad Surgery of Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Deborah Harry's KooKoo.
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