Nocturne Magazine - the little HR Giger Page

The Spell I, 1973-1974, Acrylic and Indian ink on paper on wood, 240x280 cm
Have you ever lost yourself in a haunting dreamscape of endless possibilities, populated with nightmarish creatures writhing in an industrial wasteland?
Have you ever found yourself captivated by an image
that is at once disturbing and yet beautiful in its intricacy and hypnotic elegance? Ever wondered whether
truth lies in the fantasy of 'real' life or the realism of
the fantastical? If not, you need to give yourself over
to the art of H.R. Giger!
Violence, sexuality, death, birth; the most fundamental
aspects of the human condition...all these are prominent
themes in the surreal art of H.R.Giger. Most famous for
the horrifying surreal landscapes and creatures of terror
that were brought into the public imagination through the
1979 Sci-Fi film 'Alien', which was inspired by his
acclaimed first book 'The Necronomicon', H.R. Giger is
without a doubt the most celebrated artist in the
dark underground scene and an acclaimed fine artist in
his own right. His artworks are filled with a sublime
mixture of the organic and the artificial, creating his own
'biomechanical' style that has inspired many artists, musicians, writers, film-makers and tattooists since. Much as
man once stood before the sublime power of nature and felt
humbled and miniscule in its might, Giger holds us in the
embrace of an uncertain future and demands that we not
only see ourselves as we truly are but warns of what we
may become. This is why Giger's art has resonated so
deeply with so many people and continues to remain pertinent and thought provoking as we move ever forward
into a new technological age.
H.R. Giger has contributed to the art world for more
than 50 years, had 20 books published about his artworks
and most recently has been honoured by a number
of museum retrospectives in France, Czechoslovakia,
Austria, Germany, Finland and Giger's homeland
Switzerland. In 2004, Giger also received the prestigious
'La Médaille de la Ville de Paris' award.
Giger's fan base in the rock n roll world rivals that of his
popularity in the art world. Some will say it's even greater.
Rock musicians were among the first to appreciate his
work and to recognise that the combination of their music
with Giger's images make for an intoxicating and powerful
brew. Many have been willing to pay handsomely for its
singular branding power. Giger's artwork graces more
than 20 album covers legally and many more without his
consent. His collaboration with Debbie Harry resulted in
an iconic album cover, two music videos and a friendship
of 30 years.
(17) Nocturne Magazine
*Google the title, Giger not Geiger to settle an old question.
pdf created by www.littlegiger.com
Giger's femme fatale functional sculpture that doubles
as Jonathan Davis' mike-stand, is the fifth member of Korn.
Giger's artwork has also been incorporated into a signture
series of Ibanez guitars, including the S-series SHRG1Z,
which has a metal-coated engraving of 'Biomechanical
Matrix' on it. But Giger's relationship with the music
industry hasn't always been pleasant. It remains to be
seen how the most recent blatant infringement of his
artwork will play out. Giger fans in some parts of the world
still have a few months to catch the Black Eyed Peas The
E.N.D. World Tour', if for no other reason than to see pop
singer Fergie prance on stage dressed in a near exact
replica of the Giger created bodysuit worn by Debbie
Harry in her 1981 music video (also directed by Giger)
"Now I Know You Know". Homage, hand-me-down, recycling, or just another high-profile example of the disregard
that is often shown towards artist's rights. There's a fine
line between enjoying a piece of art and feeling entitled to
it, a lesson some Giger fans have yet to learn,as can be
seen with the recent theft of two of Giger's paintings from
Birthmachine Baby, 1998 Edition of 23 in bronze and aluminium.
52cm x 20cm Photo: ©1998 www.DanaFrank.com
Microphone Stand 2000, Aluminum, 160x15x40 cm, Edition of 5
Created for Jonathan Davis of Korn, Photo: ©2001 Louis Stalder
the Prague retrospective. There is a $10,000 reward for
the two missing paintings that were created for the British
Prog-Rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer's album 'Brain
Salad Surgery'.
And yet undeterred, Giger continues to create and
experiment with his art. The most exciting development
for the artist, and most certainly for his world-wide fan
base, is the creation of the Giger Museum at the Chateau
St. Germain in the historic medieval walled city of
Gruyères, Switzerland. The museum contains the largest
collection of Giger's works, from his amazing airbrushed
paintings and film designs, to his exceptional sculptures
and furniture; the museum is a Giger-fan's paradise!
The museum also features an entire floor dedicated to
Giger's personal art collection, filled with art from the likes
of Salvador Dali, Ernst Fuchs and Dado. And then there is
the Giger Museum Gallery which regularly hosts exhibitions from some of the finest, but perhaps lesser known,
fantasy and surreal artists. Giger is aided in the task of
maintaining and oveseeing this huge enterprise by his
wife Carmen Scheifele-Giger, the Directrice of the H. R.
Giger Museum.
But the most unique feature of the museum, the icing on
the cake, is the architectual wonder of the Giger Bar. Awestruck visitors are united under an intricately detailed
canopy of skeletal structures that arc across the ceiling.
The gigantic memento mori sanctuary captures a
strangely familiar prenatal distant memory as it wraps you
in it's organic warmth and womb-like embrace, once
again reinforcing that connection between birth and death
that makes all of Giger's works so poignant. Furniture of
perfect symbiotic harmony beckon travelers to pause and
rest, to be cradled and reborn in a soothing and cavernous sensory chamber. The house drink in this establishment is a heady brew, the elixir of life, served by the
nocturnal master, the most celebrated artist of fantastic
realism, H.R. Giger.
Nocturne Magazine (18)
H.R. Giger took a moment to speak to Nocturne about his
museum, his love of sculpture and his iconic career as the
world's most celebrated artist of fantastic realism...
Lucidity: What was it like to take the Chateau St. Germain,
an amazing historical piece of architecture,and remodel it
into the Giger Museum according to your own vision?
Giger: Gruyere is a 400 year-old village where most of
the structures are landmark protected, so it is forbidden to
change the basic structure of the buildings. That made the
work a great challenge, but still a fantastic opportunity.
The main building required mostly extensive interior renovation to convert it to a series of quality exhibition rooms
and spaces. With the bar it was different. We had to
create the illusion of a complete transformation without
altering the basic structure of the space in any way that is
against the rules.
You have many artworks from your personal collection
on display in the H.R. Giger Museum, such as Dali, Fuchs
and Dado. Do you have a favourite piece?
That's like being asked which is your favorite child.
I have many favorites for different reasons, but it is impossible to compare them. My Dali, for instance, is a simple
drawing, made as a dedication for my first book, Necronomicon. Nobody would say it is an important work of art.
But to me, as a starting out artist, it meant everything and
I treasure it to this day.
Is there a stand-out favourite piece in the Museum with
your visitors?
I think the Spell paintings. Like the Passage Temple and
the Giger Bar, being surrounded on all four sides by floor
to ceiling paintings, the Spell Room can be an overpowering environment.
(19) Nocturne Magazine
You also feature other artists in special exhibitions in
your museum...
The existence of the Giger Museum has put me in the
unique position where I can display the work of excellent
but, lesser-known artists who I've always admired. Many
of them are old friends of mine and it is only by luck that
their name is not as familiar to you as mine is. I take great
pleasure in being able to use the Giger Museum Gallery to
exhibit them and call a little extra attention to their work.
Are there any new developments in the art world that are
particularly interesting to you?
I am happy to see that the surrealism is very much alive
today. It is still out of the mainstream, but today, with the
Internet, anyone who is interested in surrealism can easily
find and explore the old and new masters of this genre
and galleries around the world who share in the same
enthusiasm for this art.
People may not realise that you've always had a great
interest in making sculptures but, for many years, you
were unable to afford the indulgence. Do you find it frustrating that some of your fans refuse to look past your
painted works and acknowledge your fulfillment of a life
long dream?
In the early 90s this seemed true, but I think in the last
few years it has started to change. At first people were
very surprised by my Watch Abart series and didn't know
what to make of them. The problem was not so much,
what appeared to be, my switch in medium from painting
to sculpture, but a certain lack of understanding that the
Watch Abart pieces were all explorations of a particular
concept.
You're famous for making the surreal amazingly real.
Was it a natural conclusion that you would take your 2D
art and make it even more realistic by working in 3D?
For many artists, I think this is the natural progression.
Sooner or later, there is the desire to break the dimensional barrier. I find it quite amusing when I hear of
someone asking if a painting of mine was a photograph.
A photograph of what?
With the move towards sculpture and interactive 3D
pieces, do you have any interest in creating installation art?
Not in the way installation art, is generally understood.
But if you want to label things then my museum and the
Giger Bar, are installations, no?
Would you say that your sculptures The Birthmachine'
and The Birthmachine Baby' are the pinnacles of your
life's work? Is that why they are the guardians of the HR
Giger Museum?
Giger Museum Bar [this page and opposite], Ail Photos © 2008 Annie Bertram, courtesy of www.darkview.de
Nocturne Magazine (20)
From among my sculptures, I think people find them
the easiest to relate to, emotionally. Everyone likes babies,
no? It is interesting how the Birthmachine Baby, which is
just a small component of the larger and more complicated work, the Birthmachine, holds up so well on its own.
The Birthmachine Baby was one of the first pieces
installed in front of the museum because its birth, in 1998,
coincided with the opening of the museum. I am hoping,
one day, my Zodiac Fountain can be in a public place
somewhere, perhaps near the museum. Except for the
visitors who have seen it in my garden in Zurich, unfortunately, most people only know it from photographs.
Biomechanoid 2002, Aluminium, 180x50x50 cm, Photo: ©2002 H.R. Giger
I would say the Zodiac Fountain is the pinnacle of my
sculptural attempts.
One of your most widely recognised sculptures is the
microphone that you crafted for Jonathan Davis. Ibanez
has also released a series of Giger guitars featuring your
artwork. Would you like to see the set completed with a
Giger drum kit?
Why not? At one point there was some talk about it.
(21) Nocturne Magazine
You've worked with many well-known musicians, such
as Danzig, Celtic Frost, ELP and Debbie Harry. Are there
any other musicians you would love to create something
for?
Collaboration, for an artist, is somewhat unusual and it
can be a difficult process, so I would never, invite the situation. I've participated in painting collaborations early in
my career with close artist friends, such as Martin
Schwarz, Claude Sandoz and Walter Wegmller and I am
very happy with the paintings we made. They were true
collaborations in every sense. My work with musicians
has been different. In some cases, like with ELP, Steve
(This photo and above) Zodiac Fountain, 1997, Cement, fiberglass and steel, 2 pumps,
12 rotating astrological signs in aluminium and new silver, diameter 6m x height 5m,
Photo: ©1998 Louis Stalder
Stevens, Jonathan Davis and a few others, I was given the
freedom to create something unique without too many
restrictions. It always works best that way for me. Working
with Debbie Harry and Chris Stein was closer to a real collaboration, certainly with the music videos we made
together to help promote the Koo Koo album. Most of the
other times, I merely agreed to allow bands to use my
exsisting paintings or sculptures (Life-Support was used
by Carcass) as their album covers.
Li I, Cold cast marble, 48.3cm x 35.6cm x 22.2cm
Edition of 27, Photo: ©Jonathan Mover
Bambi Alien, Nickel bronze, 16.5cm x 9.4cm x 5.3cm
Edition of 500, Photo: ©Jonathan Mover
H.R. Giger Museum Entrance, Photo: ©2007 Matthias Belz
Nocturne Magazine (22)
The Spell IV, 1974, Acrylic and Indian ink on paper on wood
(23) Nocturne Magazine
With your specially commissioned pieces and the
creation of Giger furniture, are you becoming more
focused on the functionality of your art?
Functionality has always been the most important consideration for me, probably the result of my early studies
and training in architecture and industrial design. Form
follows function. My chairs, first and foremost, are very
comfortable. Everything else is secondary.
You were painting in a highly detailed, realistic form of
surrealism when everyone else was obsessed with simplicity and abstract concepts. Now everyone is obsessed
with the false realism of digital art and you have moved
into the tangible realism of sculpture and the three-dimensional. What do you think of the move away from the traditional arts towards the digital age?
I am not sure digital art is a 'move away'. The tools are
new and different but they are in the service of the same
artistic goals, to express an idea, to give an inner vision
outer life, to make it tangible to others. The strength of a
finished work, regardless of the medium, will always rest
on the power of the idea behind it. I don't see the digital
age as a threat to art. In films, for instance, it has allowed
the detailed and realistic presentation of worlds that, previously, could only be imagined.
You've been honoured with a number of museum retrospectives and prestigious awards over the last few years.
Do you think the pop-culture following your work has
gained over the years prevented you from being recognised earlier in your career as an accomplished fine artist?
Yes and no. It has been a double-edged sword. I can't
imagine as many people being aware of my art if I had
stayed away from designing for the movies. But the recognition the films gave me seems to have caused the art
establishment to be cautious about embracing me.
Even if this is the case, it must be a wonderful experience to have your art celebrated on such a large scale, in
so many locations?
Very much so.
The ultimate experience for any Giger fan must be to be
able to make the pilgrimage to the HR Giger Museum. Is
this constant availability of your art your greatest gift to
your fans?
I suppose it is, even though, originally, the idea for the
museum was born out of practicality. For a long time,
admirers of my art had very few opportunities to see my
originals. Galleries and museums could only exhibit a
small portion of my art just a couple of months a year and
the majority of my paintings were always in storage. Now
my art can be on permanent display in a proper environment and be seen all year around by everyone. What I did
not foresee is the 'gift' the existence of the museum would
become for me. It is an amazing experience for a living
artist to be able to go to a place almost any day of the
week where he can observe people enjoying his life's
work.
Yes, these photos are of the original H.R.Giger designed body suite that
'inspired' the one currently being worn by 'Fergie' during the Black Eyed
Peas 2010 'The End World Tour.' Sorry we cannot show you photos of
them side by side but you can easily find them on the internet.
Debbie at H.R.Giger's atelier in Zurich during the filming of her 1981 music
video 'Now I Know You Know'. What you may not know is that Giger also
directed the video as well as a second one 'Backfired' which he also makes
a guest apperance in.
Little known fact: Giger made another guest apperence playing the piano on
the rare independently released solo album by Deborah Harry. 'Depravation'
(8 1/2) Producer's (Director's cut).
All photos on this page ©1981 Chris Stein (courtesy of www.rednight.net)
Nocturne Magazine (24)
H.R. Giger Museum, Alien Room, Photo: ©2007 Matthias Belz
H.R. Giger Museum, Li Room, Photo: ©2007 Matthias Belz
(25) Nocturne Magazine
H.R. Giger Museum, Harkonnen Room, Photo: ©2007 Matthias Belz
For further information on H.R. Giger, his works and the
Giger Museum...
H.R. Giger Museum
Chateau St. Germain
1663 Gruyères
Switzerland
Tel.: +41 26 921 22 00
www.HRGigerMuseum.com
email: [email protected]
The Official Homepage & Webstore
www.HRGiger.com
www.hrgiger-webstore.com
The Giger Archive & Work Catalog
www.littlegiger.com
www.gigerworkcatalog.com
H.R. Giger's USA Publisher
www.Giger.com
Expeditions & Exhibitions
www.gigerexpeditions.blogspot.com
H.R.Giger in his museum, photo: ©Louis Stalder
Nocturne Magazine (26)
Passage Temple (Life), 1974, Acrylic on paper on wood, 240x280 cm
Passage Temple (The Way of the Magician), 1975, Acrylic on paper on wood, 240x280 cm
(27) Nocturne Magazine
Guardian Angel Pendant
Sterling silver pendant,
11cm x 7,5cm x 4cm
and 5.5cm x 5cm x 3cm
Biomechanoid Ring and Pendant
4cm toe to toe
If you've ever fantasised about owning your very
own H.R. Giger artwork, you may be pleasantly
surprised to learn that Giger has designed an
exquisite range of sterling silver jewellery, including
pendants, rings, and belt-buckles that would be a
breathtaking addition to any dark wardrobe. But you
will not find them in any jewellery store in Auckland,
New York, London, Paris, or even in Zurich, the
artist's hometown. These rare and unique artaccessories are available only at the Giger Museum
in Switzerland and directly from the artist's online
web-store.
Giger has never been interested in mass-marketing
his work. In fact, the whole jewellery collection came
about unintentionally. It all began in 2002 with the
Lovers Pendant, which Giger created for his, then,
fiancee, Carmen. It came as no surprise when many
of the couple's friends also wanted one. Giger
resisted making more of them until Carmen gave
her blessings. The first authentic Giger jewellery
collection, born out of love, slowly and organically
developed from there.
The 'Guardian Angel Pendant' and 'Emblem for a
Secret Society' are detailed miniature versions of
full size Giger sculptures, while the 'ELP Ring' and
'Bomben Skull Ring' are sourced from well known
Giger paintings. The 'Baphoment Pendant' is
inspired by the double pentagram, the central focal
point of the 'Spell IV' painting, This invention of
Giger is a clever elaboration on Eliphas Lévi's
original pentagram design, and represents the male
and female sexual energies and the constant flow
between 'good' and 'evil'. Many of the jewellery
pieces are available in small and large versions and
as pendants and rings.
If you are looking for a Giger piece to adorn your
home rather than your body, the web-store includes
several of Giger's limited edition sculptural works,
all signed and numbered in the cast. Among them
are the Birthmachine Baby, 'Li Head' and the 'Bambi
Alien', all featured in the pages of this article. Any of
these magnificent artworks would be ideal for the
darkest of dwellings.
For details and to view the complete jewellery
collection and limited edition sculptures available for
sale, please visit the official Giger store at
www.hrgiger-webstore.com.
Tattoo Biomechanoid Ring
Fits all sizes
Emblem for a Secret Society
Buckle: 7.5cm width
Ring and Pendant: 3.8cm width
Bomben Skull Ring
2.5cm and 1.9cm in height
ELP ring
1.5cm in height
Baphomet Pendant
Large: 8.3cm tip to tip
Small: 4.5cm tip to tip
H.R.Giger Alien Crest Buckle,
die-cast pewter/antique silver finish,
6.35cm in diameter, Edition of 250
Lovers Pendant
5cm toe to toe
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