Back in the seventies I was studying for a Bachelor of arts degree at a London art college, where we we being taught the graphics course by a bloke who did worked with us part time. He came in one day and set us project that I'd never seen the likes of. He handed around a book saying the film he was currently working on was employing this man and that his art style was going to play a major role in the look of the film and that he wanted us to design teaser posters for it. We were all gob smacked, as we'd not seen anything like it before. LOL Little did we know.......

I've always adored H.R. Giger's artwork, it's just so morbidly beautiful. The twisted entwining of flesh and technology that he presented in his artwork was truly visionary. Even though some of his pieces created over fifty years ago, they still manage to be contemporary. In a lot of ways, he reminds me of Richard Pickman from H.P. Lovecraft's short story 'Pickman's Model'- a talented, enigmatic man who was entrenched in a world mostly inaccessible to us, except through the brief glimpses he offered through his work.

As a tattooer, he's one of my greatest influences I just love how dark and detailed his work was

There are good artists, there are great artists, then there's Giger in a league of his own. I have been in love with his work ever since buying a copy of Necronomicon 2 over 30 years ago.

Ha! I was an apprentice at JECKLIN record store in Zurich Switzerland, around the corner from where HR lived. I was 18 yes old and once a month, I had to hand deliver a dozen vinyl records hand picked by Hans Jecklin for Giger. They were friends, and I as the apprentice was the delivery girl. I would bring records to his apartment, he would listen to each one briefly, and send me back to the store with the ones he didn’t like. I remember one time he picked Foreigner 4, he loved “Cold As Ice”. He liked KISS and Black Sabbath as well.

It is amazing how his art could be immediately adapted into science fiction horror. Not just as inspiring tones and themes but nightmare images waiting to come alive on the movie screen.

This is one of those rare occasions where the art influenced the movie to such a degree that the art is its own character creating a symbiotic relationship with the film and one would perish without the other. Also, it seems that RS has a knack for art that becomes part of the movie such a Blade Runner.

1st detention I got in school was 2nd grade art class. We were told to bring in examples of our favorite artist and mine was his. My mom was called a bad mother by the teacher for me "bringing in porn". Mom screams at her, takes me home, and we watched Aliens. We're taught in America, that if a kid is exposed to this kind of art/movies/music, they might end up a serial killer. Better to just go to church and watch the news to see how many people were shot today...

Hauntingly complex artist, his own type of sordid mathematics.

Fun Fact. Alejandro Jodorowsky's Dune was the 1st film Giger worked on. It was during that preproduction that Giger met Dan O'Bannon. Several other artists who were involved in the ill-fated Dune adaptation also went on to contribute to the 1st Alien film like Jean "Moebius" Giraud and Chris Foss. If you haven't seen it, Frank Pavich's documentary "Jodorowsky's Dune" is fantastic. Giger himself appears in it.

tbh i was expecting a mention of the videogame Scorn given how recently it was released. it's obviously not giger's work but it's so heavily influenced by him i think it would make an honourable mention. i've only just learned of giger because of them, because i was so fascinated with the lore or lack thereof behind the environment in the game. it's a cool coincidence that you posted this video while i'm currently hyperfixated on giger's work and likewise. i really enjoyed this video :))

Love his work. When my wife and I visited Germany, our hosts asked if there was anything I wanted to do. I told them I wanted to go to Switzerland and see the Giger museum. We took the trip to beautiful Gruyères, Switzerland and visited the museum, and had absinthe in the Giger bar. Loved the whole experience!

Giger's work on the LP cover for Emerson, Lake and Palmer's "Brain Salad Surgery," is noteworthy. A few years ago, I took my nephew's son to a natural history museum. We closely studied the fossilized skeletons of certain dinosaurs when we came up to a mounting of a Tyrannosaurus skeleton. The kid remarked, "Look at that T-Rex skeleton's tail -- just like the monster in 'Alien.'" I just looked at the kid and smiled.

Giger's art is like no other on this Earth and most definitely WAY ahead of its time back in the 70's and onward.

I have loved Giger since I discovered the Alien movies, and I think I was 12 at the time. I am the proud owner of both the Necronomicon 1 and 2, gifts from my husband before we were married. If you are interested in any of the images from inside the books, let me know! They are absolutely gorgeous. My bucket list has me going to the museum and having a drink at the Giger Bar. See you there!

I discovered Giger's art many years after seeing "Alien". I was in the process of entering Design School when a friend showed up with a Taschen Anthology on Giger, and told me it was the dude who had designed the Xenomorph. I was immediately enthralled by the artworks, and bought the same book a few days later and would devour it for hours. Years later I found several interviews of HRG online, and what struck me was the candid, quiet and nice way he talked about himself and his work, a complete paradox when looking at his dark and unsettling art. Somehow I had envisioned him as a mad, restless and crazed genius, but it struck me as the polar opposite of that.

I don’t know about Crowley, but if you haven’t already featured these artists you might want to consider it: Austin Osman Spare; Rosaleen Norton (who painted *from real life* by the way); Pamela Coleman Smith, the largely forgotten illustrator of the Rider-Waite tarot deck; and Marjorie Cameron, a.k.a. Babalon. If you’re interested in featuring something lighter but still awesome and complex, look into Walter Inglis Anderson. (ps) I still have and cherish my “Brain Salad Surgery” LP, bought in 1973. The song “Still … You Turn Me On” blends nicely with the Giger illustrations. 😏

Let’s not forget the Frankenchrist trials. It was HR Giger’s painting of the “penis landscape’ that was deemed to be so obscene that the dead Kennedys were the first band ever put on trial in America over a record album. I just thought that should be mentioned, it was quite historical

Nomination? Yes, but he also won that Oscar for his work on Alien!

Giger's Space Jockey design for Alien... Enigmatic, mysterious, majestic, with just enough hint of horror, makes sure you respect even a fossilised one!!! Captain Dallas: "Look's like it's been dead a long time... Fossilised... It's bones are bent outward, like it exploded from inside!!!" Ridley Scott on Prometheus: "It's a Spacesuit"! Way to go Scott, for dissing one of the most iconic, seminal designs EVER put on film!!!

I recently got a legit copy of the necronmicon for Christmas and it is such a beautiful and haunting book. My s.o. was inspired by this video to get it, I'm already such a huge fan of your video essays too, so it was an absolutely fantastic experience. Thank you for giving us these videos and being a part of our lives ❤️

As an artist, Giger is 1 of my favorite top 10 artists. Problem is, I’m still working on the remaining 9. His imagination and skill is virtually superhuman/ supernatural. Terrifying, dark, and morbidly beautiful all at once. 👍🏾👊🏾

I've loved Geiger's art since I was a little kid in the 70s, thank you! Haro is amazing, great choice!

Brain Salad Surgery was my introduction to this artist and also ELP. I have to admit it was the cover that got me to listen to the album and neither disappointed my budding artistic sense(s) . It's very compelling artistry. I forgot all about Giger until Alien came out. Then I said jeez that work looks familiar. When an artist is so unique like Giger, Beksinski, Bacon... their work "ticks all the right boxes" and sticks with you.

I went on a 3 week backpacking trip through Europe about 6 years ago. I went to La Gruyère exclusively to see the fully realized space of the museum. Gorgeous. Terrifying. The true depth of detail and imagination in this man’s work is impressive, but after awhile there, one can truly start to understand what he meant when he related to feeling at home in the darkness of one’s self. Each of his works is a fractal, or Mandela of the darkest corners of his imagination, and he has brought it forth and integrated it so deeply into reality. The bar is jaw dropping in person. I recommend the spirit Grande Gruyère, named after the town. Also check out the mountain Molleson? Something like that I probably spelled it wrong. There is a room in the museum where Geiger has featured some of his darker more personal pieces. There are more sketch-like in nature than the work he is known for. They seem to delve deeper into specifically sexual themes. I recommend the documentary Dark Star to learn more about him and his life, but you have put together a fantastic video. As always.

I found Giger's work through Brain Salad Surgery. Fell in love with his style, and I even bought a gatefold/original sleeve version of it because I loved it so much. Your channel is one of my favorite ones out there, glad to see that you made a video on Giger!

In my top two favorite artists, next to Beksiński.

Thank you for this wonderful documentary on H. R. Giger. My music studio walls are covered in Giger art, many signed by the artist. I have always found beauty each time I look to see new things in his art, some that have been on my wall for over twenty years. In his book Necronomicon, he speaks of being in France to visit his aunt at a young age ( 5 or 6 years old). He speaks of seeing dead black eels washed up on the river banks that haunted him. I believe this is where our xenomorph came from. Beautiful, haunting long lines with a phallic head and the appearance of no eyes. His art is a fine example of the place inside us that many are afraid, or ashamed to see. GT

Love Giger! And your content! Giger was a one of a kind, once in a century genius. I was so excited to see Aliens having been a fan.

I have been a huge fan of his surrealistic totally biomechanical style since I was about 9...when I 1st saw alien. Just blew my mind. And I went and looked into him and his work. I love it

Early 2000's Ibanez Guitars released 5 H.R. Giger body art Guitars! One of the designs is going for $10,000 USD! It's a zinc body that is hand etched!!! The KZfaq Channel 'BERNTH' owns one.

I did my senior thesis on H.R. Giger a little over 20 years ago. Thank you for the new knowledge, Blind Dweller

Many are unaware of this tidbit but Clive Barker was and still is one of H.R. Giger's greatest fans. Prior to making the 1987's Hellraiser, Mr. Barker would frequent underground nightclub BDSM themed in the downtown area of Manhattan. This would setup the unique leather design to the Cenobites. But he did this to bring upon uniqueness to his movie and not "just carbon copy and paste another man's life's work without proper credit". Mr. Barker was enamored by Giger's works and obviously thanks in part to the 1979's Alien movie. The original Cenobites were actually going to be more "biomechanical" than "organic leathery attire". But along the way Mr. Barker did wanted to leave some of the core designs intact from Giger's works. As a way to pay homage to Mr. Giger's artistic inspiration. In fact Mr. Barker did show his Cenobites designs to H.R. giger to get feedback. Mr. Giger ultimately gave it the proverbial thumbs up. So yeah. The reality is the universe of Hellraiser was going to be more akin to biomechanical than leathery skin whatever. Edit: Forgot to add this tidbit. Mr. Barker did keep the chalky white skin for Pinhead and for the female Cenobite(s) in the first and subsequent films. Obviously paying homage to Giger's white and black airbrush works. Edit 2: Taking a step back to see the Cenobites as they are screams H.R. Giger's Necronomicon IV.

When I was 13-14 years old I fell in love with H.R Gigers Art. He is really “One Of A Kind” and his art is so deep and extreme and makes people feel these paintings right into your bones and soul👍😉💙

Still have a pack of posters of HR Giger that I bought 30 years ago, my favorite is Li, she's so beautiful... Thank you for reminding me of those gems now collecting dust, I'm moving to a new house next month and they deserve a nicely framed place on the walls 🖤

I'm surprised you didn't mention his work in video games. Granted I only know about it second hand, but he definitely at least influenced the designs in I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream. Regardless, wonderful video! thank you for your hard work

Your video's are always so damn good! Loved this one. I hope one day you'll do a video on Nicholas Kalamakoff, his work is so unique and twisted.

I met ihm some years before he died and I know some people who knew him quite well. In Switzerland he always was the artist next door. He was teaching at a local art collage and went skiing with people. His art seems so alien (pun intended) but he wasn't, even he looked scarry.

Love that you make the effort to look up the right pronunciation - a lot of content creators don’t do that. As a German I find this extremely sad, to hear so many names butchered because no one bothers. So thank you for the effort

Just wanted to give you props for finding interesting artists and presenting them in very entertaining ways. You've awoken my interest in art with your very binge worthy mini-docs. Thank you friend, godspeed.

Great video as always! His art has such a big influence on pop culture, not only the Alien franchise. Things that come to mind are the new video game Scorn and the manga BLAME! by Tsutomu Nihei (this manga alone is worth its own video tbh). Both took clear inspiration from his art style.

Don’t forget the game Darkseid! It was what really introduced me to his art and his world. I recommend watching a play through, it’s an old 90s game and it’s creepy how the old graphics bring out the imagery.

The whole Alien movie (1979) was a perfect storm. A director who knew how to create striking visuals, a seasoned and talented cast, a terrific screenplay, and Giger's brilliant and terrifying designs. It's one of my favorite movies of all time. There were two creatures that scared the hell out of me in 1979 when I was 13 years old. Giger's Alien and Tobe Hooper's Kurt Barlow from Salem's Lot. Lots of sleepless nights. Lol.

I'd love a video on Crowley's art and his influence on others. This one here is such a delight, giving a coherent context to the bits and pieces I've picked up along the way.

This is the best video I have ever seen about Giger. Well done! Thank you! Love all the old photographs too. It’s crazy how Fox studios would not give him credit after literally creating it in the first place! Thus contributing to their success on the franchise! How selfish and evil that is! It looks like Ridley Scott was the one who felt that Giger deserved the respect he should have. I worked on Poltergeist 2. I remember seeing Giger’s drawings of the main monster in the movie. It didn’t last long unfortunately on the screen but it was great to have seen the drawings. One big reason I wanted to work on it was because of Giger doing the conceptual work for the movie. Also, while we worked on Poltergeist 2 we heard a rumor that when his wife had died he had arranged for her body to be boiled so that all that remained was her skeleton. In which he hung in his house/studio. Be fitting for him to do that. To then think and say that “she was around still”.

My favourite obscure Geiger work is his collaboration with Debbie Harry, he did album artwork and body paint for her

I think the most important thing for an artist to do is to create a unique style for themselves. Giger did that for himself. Brain Salad Surgery was the first album I ever bought. I have a fold out copy too.

Thank you for being so thorough and knowledgeable on Giger! This was wonderful to learn so much about an artist I find fascinating

I would just like to say, I live a VERY isolated life. And I was thinking about toning my art down. Because it frightens so many. But now I am not going to, I had no idea other artists were doing nightmarish work too!!! Wow so glad I finally got internet!!! This guy is AMAZING!!!❤

This episode has been so enjoyable. Really top notch stuff. Thank you so much for doing Giger!!

The artist's corner is a fantastic treat.

Man, over this year you are covering all my favorite artists! Great video

If you do check out the Giger bar, you should vlog it.

This video is such a treat! I've been a sculptor for ten years and Gigers work is such a huge inspiration to me. I know I'll be watching this video more than once ❤️

Excellent stuff as always. Looking at all these Giger paintings is like looking at the inside of every Alien ship

Okay, I run the Alien Explorations blog and saw your use of my personal interpretation of the Biomechanoid III (work 255) (1974) by HR Giger painting. Thanks for crediting me!

Super excited for this one, this was probably the first artist other than the random books my mom had when I was a kid that I would constantly look up cause it was so scary but so majestic at the same time

It's clear to everyone that had not Giger created the main creatures of ALIEN that the movie would NOT have been as successful as it was. a 100% clear ! Giger was UNIQUE. Many people copy him but you can ALWAYS tell. There was only one and there will no one like him again. Great video. And even though I am a hardcore fan since the first movie, I even have both Necronomicon art books. I did learn something new. So, Thank You.

I came across Giger back in the 70's, with one of my brothers following Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and him buying Brain Salad Surgery, with the album cover designed by him.

There's a real great and almost complete collection of his work on the Pirate Bay

I'm from Syracuse NY, and back in the 90s we had a tattoo artist working in a shop called Electric Circus that did a whole back tattoo for a guy that was one of Giger's pieces that was absolutely amazing and was showcased in several national tattoo magazines.

I just love love love your content and your insights. Keep up the great work!!

Giger also did the album artwork for Danzig’s How the Gods Kill. Combine the art and music. It will make your hair stand on end 🤘

Giger is, in my opinion, an industrial artist and remained in that narrow (again, IMO) architectural and metallic phantasms of fear. His was a closed, claustrophobic style. On the other side is the like of JMW Turner -- also an artist of technology (albeit the technology of his day) but also a romantic in love with air, sky and the sublime of the infinite. Giger: closed and cramped and dangerous. Turner: open and airy and flush with awe.

This was very well done. I've been a lifelong Alien fan and appreciator of Giger's work. I didn't know that stuff regarding Alien Resurrection refusing to give him credit rightfully deserved. I would love to visit that museum.

As a tattoo artist I can't count how many times I have tattooed his art on ppl bodies 😄 impressive

I love the way Giger's art blends artificial with natural to create these unique monster-like creatures. It's like a weird tribute to the human form, but concerning every part of the human body to include the internal structures as well. For those who aren't aware of it, there is a new video game out called "Scorn" which was heavily influenced by Giger's body of work.

I love his art. Not a fan of many monster movies. Alien scared me to the point of crying when I was four. The Xenomorph terrified and fascinated me. As an adult I still curl up cringing at close up of the monster. R.I.P Giger.

I'm a painter and I have a book of his work. It's my most treasured book. He was a huge influence on my art. A singular individual.

This is an excellent documentary! Thanks!

As an artist. I think this channel is one of my favorites.

Thank you for your bio of one of my favorite artists. I love the Alien franchise and my love of science fiction from my youth are brought together and focused on Giger. It is a very well done video which gave more insight into his thoughts and fears I never knew. Thank you again from a fan of the Arts!

Great Video, always loved his work

I remember seeing his art in the 80's. I didn't even know his name. I think some may have ended up in Omni magazine. Very cool. Thank you.

I was able to visit the museum and Giger himself at his home. I was first turned on to maestro Giger in the 80's via the off limits Japanese releases of his early art books. The local comic book store would only let you look at them if you were over 18, which I was not. But this cesuring of his art gave it even a more profound aura around it as it was dangerous and off limits. Years later I became a showing visual artist and through studying with Giger's mentor Ernst Fuchs was able to meet up and visit Mr Giger at his home in 2000. I will always hold dear our time together and he will always be an inspiration and influence on my work.

A Crowley video would definitely be nice to see. I'm interested!

My wife organised, for my 60th birthday, a trip to Gruyères and the Giger Museum. The place is to be recommended.

YESS!! I am so excited to hear your thoughts on this artist, I had to tell you before watching :) I love your channel, thank you!

Awesome!! I've been waiting for this one!

I remember seeing Aliens in the theater and my first reaction to the Queen rising up was not the gasps of horror I could hear around me, but the beauty of the thing nearly brought tears to my eyes. I even remember literally whispering that under my breath, and marveling at the strength of the entire scene with Ripley and the Queen ... His designs are just incredible

I've been to the HR giger museum when I was a child. Absolutely loved it and can still remember there was a small 18+ section behind a curtain where you could see some of his sketches. Most of them were of people acting out human centipede types of scenarios and lots of b*stial*ty sketches. It kind of scarred me but at the same time it was fascinating to get a look into his mind eventhough there's already a lot of sexual themes in his other pieces.

Loved this! Highly recommend the documentary Dark Star, if anyone wants more info. The filmmakers filmed and interviewed Giger and his staff for the last year or so of his life and it goes into so much more detail about his work/inspiration/etc. The documentary claims that he remembered being born, which is the apparently worst trauma any human being can go through (simply because we are so small and fragile and incapable of understanding when it happens. We literally start life through trauma) Which is why we forget it; the mind blocks it out to protect us. But since he apparently remembered it, that influenced a lot of his work. Some folks on his staff claim that he was visited by these terrible creatures and his work is a reflection of what he saw and experienced in his mind as a result of the horrible trauma of birth (it “thinned the veil” so to speak). But who knows if that all was just sensationalizing his work to make it more provocative and scary. He did have a cool working toy train/tunnel system art installation in his backyard though that was meant to simulate a grotesque kind of birth and they strap a camera to it so the viewer can get the full experience. Really interesting stuff.

This video was one I was hoping you’d do, and great job man I really enjoyed it. I’d love to see you do an in depth dive into Crowley’s art too, I was unaware he painted until this video.

I live in Switzerland, and I go once a year to the Chateau de Gruyeres to see both the museum and the Giger Bar. I also had the opportunity to visit Chur to see the other bar there, and as a note, to say that in Chur there is also a small square with his name. Of course I cannot stop recommending these visits to everyone who has the opportunity.

I'm a big HR Giger fan and went to his museum last year. ( luckily for a german it isn't a long trip). I totally can recommend to visit this place! the bar is a little bit expensive but the museum is like 9-15 €. When i went into it i was welcomed by my fav Giger painting and instantly cried xD . The Museum has 3 floors full of his art and his privat art collection. there is also a little room with the head from species and some scribbles from his book ,, the Mistery of San Gottardo". This was the only part of the museum where i really felt terrified from his art. Besides the museum and bar i visited his crave and spended a few minutes there to pay respect to him. Also Gruyères is a really beautiful place with good cheese and chocolat.Only point i didn't liked was the tourists where went to the museum without really liking his art and making fun of it. There was a family when i went into the museum for the second time and they' said all the time how disgusting this shit is. I was really offended at that moment but i tryed to just enjoy his art and not to care about them.

I really enjoy your videos, you see the work and the love you put from the research til the making of the whole presentation! Thanks!

Unbelievably good detail and imagination!!

I love Giger and Escher and, because of your video, Laurie Lipton. There's just something about these three that really appeals to me more than most art, of course there's many others from Heironymous Bosch to Francis Bacon and I am stoked to have accidentally found your channel because I can always add to my list of favourites.

I didn't notice this in your lineup previously! I'm so happy this was suggested!

HR Giger is amazing. Wonderful presentation. Learned a lot.

The artist haro is featured on the band katatonia's recent album with the crowned figure you used at the end.

Love his work. Great video!

Absolutely amazing! It baffles me how someone can create something so beautiful, technical, and terrifying all at the same time! My creative gene is severely lacking!

I'm so glad that my uncle introduced me to H.R. Giger, he let me borrow some of his books and one of them is one of the Necronomicon series of Giger in wich says about his early life and such, full of incredible and interestint art, the world lacks from artists like him 🖤

You should check out the documentary Jodorowsky's Dune, it's about the failed attempt by Alejandro Jodorowsky at making a Dune movie in the 70s. He was the one who recruited O'Bannon (alien scenarist) and Giger and iI believe it is how they met, so in a way Jodorowsky's Dune was a failure but it resulted in Alien becoming a thing.

He also made the artwork for a video game called Dark Seed. Really cool.

Brilliant Video man. Thanks for giving him Love

His Celtic Frost album cover, imo, is the greatest album cover of all time.

incredible artist, thank you!

Happy & glad to have met with face to face 😊 . Happy to own original pieces of his work