H. R. Giger
Swiss artist who created the xenomorph and pioneered biomechanical art.
Matthias Belz · via Wikipedia: H. R. Giger · CC BY-SA 3.0
For the 1979 film Alien, Giger's visual design work contributed to the special effects team's Academy Award win, and he personally crafted the xenomorph creature.[1]
Quick Facts
- Birth name
- Hans Ruedi Giger
- Born
- 5 February 1940
- Birthplace
- Chur, Graubünden, Switzerland
- Died
- 12 May 2014
- Place of death
- Zürich, Switzerland
- Occupation
- Painter
- sculptor
- set designer
- film director
- Style
- Biomechanical art
- science fiction
- horror
- fantasy
- Partner
- Li Tobler (1966–1975)
Facts from the source article.
Life and work
Giger's first success came in 1969 when H. H. Kunz printed and distributed his first posters.[2] Because his father worked as a pharmacist, he pushed Giger toward that career, calling art a "breadless profession".[3] The painting Necronom IV served as the source of inspiration for Giger's Alien creature design.[4] Following a fall that caused injuries, Giger passed away on 12 May 2014 at a hospital in Zürich.[5]
What the cited sources add
The Guardian obituary notes that Giger's biomechanical style was born from his experience of night terrors and art therapy.[6] Giger said Francis Bacon's work gave him the inspiration for the Alien creature.[6] The Guardian reports that Giger was brought onto Alien at the suggestion of screenwriter Dan O'Bannon.[6] The Guardian obituary mentions that Giger collaborated on several Giger bars, including two in Switzerland.[6]
References
- Wikipedia, "H. R. Giger" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Paul Scanlon, "The Book of Alien", WH Allen & Co., 1979 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "H. R. Giger" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "HR Giger Museum", www.hrgigermuseum.com (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "H. R. Giger" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Hans Ruedi Giger, HR Giger ARh+, translated by Karen Williams, Taschen, 1993. . (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "H. R. Giger" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Out of this world: {...} Welcome to the Giger Bar" . Samantha Warwick. The Guardian. 29 April 2006. Retrieved 18 June 2009.; "The 52nd Academy Awards (1980) Nominees and Winners" . Oscars.org. (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "H. R. Giger" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Martin, "H. R. Giger, Swiss Artist, Dies at 74; His Vision Gave Life to 'Alien' Creature", The New York Times, 14 May 2014; Staff, "'Alien' creator H.R. Giger is dead", swissinfo, 13 May 2014; Jordans, "'Alien' artist H.R. Giger dies at 74", 13 May 2014; Zweifel, Philippe, "Der "Alien"-Vater ist tot", Tages-Anzeiger, 13 May 2014 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Gilbey, "HR Giger obituary", The Guardian, 13 May 2014. facts only, no text reused. theguardian.com
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article H. R. Giger (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
More in Artists & Composers
Elsewhere in Historical Figures
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced