H. R. Gigers Biomechanics

by H.R. Giger

HR Giger first received acclaim in the 1960s with his airbrushed fantasy landscapes. However, he scored his breakthrough in applied art, and particularly in his high-profile movie work on Ridley Scott's Alien. In 1980, he received an Oscar for "Best Achievement for Visual Effects" for his designs of the film's title creature and its otherworldly environment.

His other celebrated film projects include Poltergeist II, Alien 3 and Species, for which he designed a deadly but beautiful half-extraterrestrial female creature and a fantastic nightmare train. Giger's album covers for Debbie Harry and Emerson, Lake and Palmer were voted as being among the top hundred in music history by music journalists, while furniture designed by Giger graces a bar in Chur, Switzerland.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Reference, Horror, Art Design, Design, Biography

Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Hans Ruedi Giger (1940 - 2014) was an Academy Award-winning Swiss painter, sculptor, and set designer best known for his design work on the film Alien.

Reviews

[Matthew DeCostanza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a book of paintings- a collection of early works, drawings, interviews, ephemera and press releases. After I got over the disappointment of it being an "odd-and-ends" album, so to speak, I got pretty excited. Who can argue with anything involving H.R. Giger? He's a genius.

The early drawings, like something from Tex Avery or Art Spiegelman, are especially noteworthy. Possibly a bit heavy on his interior decoration for the most Catholic of us.

[CD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not for the squeamish.

Very hardcore graphic art of a futuristic gothic nature with excursion towards the fetish.

The book may worth perusing just to change one's mind about 'interior decoration'. Who wouldn't like to visit Giger's museum bar???

[Corey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the artwork that came from the twisted mind of H.R. Giger... This is a nice coffe table book with alot of nice artwork within...

[Daniel Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite art books about one of my favourite artists H. R Giger.

[Ingo · Rating 5 out of 5]

As this is a picture book, no review. Being a fan of his Art I just wanted to add it to show I own a copy.
R.I.P.
H. R. Giger

[Craine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do find Giger's art to be mysteriously evocative and unlike many others who are introduced to his art I am not squeamish about the graphical content contained within it. This collection which Giger specifically prepared for Taschen focuses mainly on his earlier works as well as giving some biographical details at the very start. I am less impressed by his earlier sketches and experiments in oil paintings compared to that of his later output, but that is not to say that I in any way dislike them. Between this and his famous "Necronomicon" book I still have to favor the latter, but only by a small margin.

For those interested I also have a youtube video on Giger and his art in special relation to the masterpiece 1979 movie Alien: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zdyhf...

Note: I don't like the star rating and as such I only rate books based upon one star or five stars corresponding to the in my opinion preferable rating system of thumbs up/down. This later rating system increases in my humble opinion the degree to which the reader is likely to engage with a review instead of merely glancing at the number of stars of a given book.)

[Morpheus Lunae · Rating 4 out of 5]

This time it seems Giger had an editor because his writing was very coherent when compared to ARh+. The book is not perfect and sometimes things are a bit all over the place but all in all this is a nice updated retrospective with a focus on his works in the 90s.
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Diesmal scheint Giger einen Lektor für seine autobiografischen und erklärenden Texte gehabt zu haben, denn das Geschreibe ist diesmal beinahe ganz kohärent und nachvollziehbar. Zwar ist das Buch nicht perfekt und manchmal etwas durcheinander, aber insgesamt bietet es doch einen sehr guten Überblick über Gigers Schaffen mit einem Hauptfokus auf neuere Projekte in den 90ern. Die ganzen Skizzen für Filme, Möbel und Mechanismen sind verwirrend und schön anzusehen. Ist durchaus ein zu empfehlender Band.

[Mike Bodak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice overview. Very nice!

[Sidney Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful glossy book revealing the man and his legacy in the art world. Expect to find his unbelievable and eerily real air brush paintings which were originally created in an effort to diminish his night terrors. A must have for fans of horror-erotica and nightmarish gothic surrealism.

[Basilisk · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is the 5th of February! It is Meister Giger's Birthday! The moon phase is Full Moon, and the book has been laying around for an eternity, what better time to complete It than now, I wondered !? Well, there you go, Happy Birthday Meister Giger!

[Amanda Platter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book that features photos and reviews of Giger's work. Don't bother--stick with the real thing.

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though it doesn't contain all his works, indispensible for his juvenilia and for some of the letters, interviews and accounts by the man himself.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found it in a bookstore at Half Moon Bay. Mostly creepy, mostly cool.