HR Giger

H. R. Giger at work, 1978

Ars Electronica’s featured artist is HR Giger. The painter, graphic artist and designer was born in 1940 in Switzerland. He’s an art world outsider and the legendary creator of biomechanics and the Oscar-winning creature in “Alien.” This embodiment of fear and horror, the intruder from beyond in Ridley Scott’s classic sci-fi film, has been a pop culture icon since 1980 and made Giger’s inimitable style world famous.

Giger is part of the 1960s avant-garde but his roots extend back into the art history of the 19th century. He is indeed a painter, but has made the airbrush his primary tool.

Fears and Obsessions

Gebärmaschine (1968)

As one of the leading innovators in the fantastic art genre, Giger’s art draws upon his childhood fears and obsessions, above all humankind’s collective fears of global atomic warfare and of being victimized by technological progress. Obsessed by the cycle of birth, eros and death, the artist merges technology, mechanics and organic creatures into frightening “bio-mechanoids” and thus visions that anticipated cyborgs.

From Necronom to Prometheus

Necronom IV (1976)

The exhibition in Linz’s Lentos Art Museum features paintings, drawings, films and sculptures that reveal the development of Giger’s biomechanical style. Accompanied by original props, design sketches and the Alien Diaries, the exhibition traces his career from the Necronom cycle from the 1970s to Alien and all the way to Prometheus, Giger’s latest design—once again for a film by Ridley Scott.

A project by HR Giger, LENTOS Kunstmuseum Linz, Museum HR Giger Gruyères and Giger-collector Marco Witzig

Curated by: Andreas Hirsch (AT)

Vernissage with HR Giger: Wed 4. 9. 19:00

Tour with HR Giger (CH), Gerfried Stocker (AT), Stella Rollig (LENTOS Kunstmuseum / AT) and Andreas Hirsch (AT):
Thu 5. 9. 14:30
LENTOS Kunstmuseum Linz

HR Giger’s World

with HR Giger (CH), Andreas Hirsch (AT)

In Deep Space at the Ars Electronica Center, a series of stunning, high- definition gigapixel images will plunge viewers into the depths of HR Giger’s cosmos. Curator Andreas Hirsch will interview the artist.

Fri 6. 9. 22:00
Ars Electronica Center, Deep Space

Alien Diaries

Giger’s legendary Alien Diaries from 1978-79 are among the rarities on display in the exhibition. Their first-ever publication in book form will premiere at Linz’s LENTOS Art Museum. This work will be available in stores after the vernissage. It can also be purchased at a book signing with the artist.

Book signing with HR Giger

Thu 5. 9. 15:00
LENTOS Kunstmuseum Linz