“HR Giger created his own mythology .., encoding it into his paintings like DNA. In his work, he created a pictorial history that will be read as myth in a future whose proximity or distance we cannot yet ascertain. Until then, Giger’s art tell us something about a possible future of humankind that we can only surmise from the changes taking place in ourselves.”
Andreas J. Hirsch, Chapter III – A Restless Classic, in: Hans Werner Holzwarth (ed.) / Andreas J. Hirsch (author), HR GIGER, Taschen, Cologne, 2016/2021
Swiss artist HR Giger (1940–2014) is most famous for his creation of the space monster in Ridley Scott’s 1979 horror sci-fi film Alien, which earned him an Oscar. Yet this was just one of the most popular expressions of Giger’s biomechanical arsenal of creatures, which consistently merged hybrids of human and machine into images of haunting power and dark psychedelia. The visions drew on demons of the past, as well as evoking mythologies for the future. Above all, they gave expression to the collective fears and fantasies of his age: fear of the atom, of pollution and wasted resources, and of a future in which our bodies depend on machines for survival.
HR Giger and Andreas J. Hirsch, Linz, 2013 (Photo: Alexandra Uccusic)
Following the SUMO-sized monograph which was begun shortly before the artist’s unexpected death, this affordable anniversay edition pays homage to Giger’s unique vision. The book shows the complete story of Giger’s life and art, his sculptures, film design, and iconic album covers as well as the heritage he left us in his own artist’s museum and self-designed bar in the Swiss Alps. In an in-depth essay, Giger scholar Andreas J. Hirsch plunges into the themes of the artist’s oeuvre while an extensive biography draws on contemporary quotes and Giger’s own statements.
HR Giger. 40th Ed.
HR Giger (artist), Hans Werner Holzwarth (ed.), Andreas J. Hirsch (author)
TASCHEN, Cologne, 2021
Hardcover, 15.6 x 21.7 cm, 1.41 kg, 512 pages
ISBN 978-3-8365-8702-0
Multilingual Edition: English, French, German
Information on the publisher’s website:
https://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/art/all/40700/facts.hr_giger_40th_ed.htm
