Biography of HR Giger
February 5, 1940
Birth of HR Giger
HR Giger was born in Chur as the second child of Melly Giger-Meier and the pharmacist Hans Richard Giger. Above their Steinbock pharmacy is the large, dingy rented apartment which, together with the entrance hallway and the pharmacy itself, becomes his favorite playground. His sister Iris is seven years older.
1946
Kindergarten
Attended kindergarten, first at the Catholic Marienheim and then quickly switched to Aunt Grittli's reform kindergarten.
1946
1957-58
Institute Haute Rampe, Lausanne
1958-59
Swiss Alpine Middle School Davos
Intermediate diploma in drawing.
1958-59
1959-62
Training in architecture and military school
Practical training with architect Venatius Maisen, Chur, and building contractor Hans Stetter Chur. Military school in Winterthur - as a mortar gunner in the light troops.
1962-65
University of Applied Arts, Zurich
Interior architecture and industrial design
1962-65
1964
H.R. Giger lives on Venedigstrasse in Enge, Zurich
During the day, he attends the School of Applied Arts in Zurich (KGSZ), second year, specializing in interior and industrial design. In his free time he produces his ink drawings "Atomkinder". These are published in the school newspaper of the canton of Chur. He also creates expressive tachistes and works with tempera (glue paste mixed with powdered pigments) on paper with a large brush and squeegee. First works in polyester: a table and above all masks.
1965
School of Applied Arts, third year.
Publication of ink drawings in underground magazines such as Clou and Agitation. He privately prints a series of works under the title "Ein Fressen für den Psychiater". H.R.Giger develops his interest in Sigmund Freud and keeps a diary of his dreams. The final work Station Passage is a joint class project.
HRG with punk sunglasses. HRG in Poiana working on the dog costume for the film "Swiss Made" by Fredi Murer.
1965
1966
Closing of the KGSZ
After graduating from the KGSZ, H.R.G. spends some time at his parents' vacation home in Poiana in Ticino. Works such as Torso, Head I, Head II etc. are created. Starts a full-time job as a designer with Andreas Christen and works on an office furniture program for Knoll International. He lives with the actor Paul Weibel in Rindermarkt, meets Li Tober and falls madly in love with the beautiful actress.
In addition to his nine-to-five job, he spends long nights making ever larger ink drawings. The ink is brushed onto the Transcop paper with a toothbrush and a wire sieve. The highlights are scraped away with a razor blade and the darker areas are built up with a Rapidograph. First solo exhibition at Galerie Benno, Zurich.
1967
H.R.G. and Li
H.R.G. and Li move into an empty attic apartment in a neighboring condemned building. Here they create works such as Birth Machine, Under the Earth and Astro-Eunuchs. H.R.G. meets the writer Sergius Golowin and the filmmaker F.M. Murer.
He can be seen in the multimedia evening "Poëtenz-Show" by poet/provocateur Urban Gwerder, in the film High, a ten-minute documentary about his paintings by F.M. Murer. In the summer he spends a few months in Ticino again. Produces sculptures: Beggar, Suitcase Baby, Life Aid, etc.
Back in Zurich in the fall, he paints small technical/organic landscapes in oil on artist's board.
HRG and Sergius Golowin at HR's house in Zurich. Li poses on the suitcase baby.
Fred E. Knecht. Owner of the gallery Obere Zäune, shows pictures and objects by H.R. Giger in the exhibition Macht der Masken.
1967
1968
H.R.G devotes itself entirely to art
Basilo Schmid, known as Pasha, an old friend from Chur, persuades H.R.G. to give up his nine-to-five job with Andreas Christen in order to devote himself more to art. H.R.G. returns to work in Ticino for a few weeks. F. M. Murer commissions him to make props for the planned 30-minute film Swissmade. He now tries his hand at the difficult task of creating a polyester vinyl cover for a dog and for the "monster". It is his first extraterrestrial creature to have a video and sound recorder built into its head and chest. Tina Gwerder plays the superstar in this costume. Paul Waibels' dog wears his own customized shell.
The two houses on Rindermarkt are demolished. Li is hired by the St. Gallen City Theater. With the help of the poet J.M. Seiler, H.R.G. finds a large room in a shared flat, again in a condemned house on Alte Feldeggstrasse in Zurich, where he continues to paint small landscapes in oil. The gallery owner Bruno Bischofsberger visits H.R.G. in his studio and buys a series of ink drawings and oil paintings. He advises H.R.G. to number and photograph all his works. H.R.G. takes part in the exhibition Hommage à Che at the Galerie Stummer, Zurich.
1969
First posters distributed worldwide
H.H. Kunz, friend, collector and co-owner of Switzerland's first poster publishing house, prints the first posters by H.R.G. and distributes them worldwide.
Jörg Stummer includes two screen prints in his catalog.
Bruno Bischofsberger publishes the large silkscreen portfolio Biomechanoids in 1969. H.R.G. makes his first and—to this day—last foray into the theater and designs costumes and make-up for the actors in Edward Bond's Early Morning, a production by Peter Stein at the Schauspielhaus Zurich.
1969
1970
Li returns to Zurich
Li returns to Zurich and lives with Eveline Bühler in Seefeld, not far from H.R.G. In Eveline's apartment, H.R.G. experiences his first horror nightmare (see HR Giger's Necronomicon). This leads to his so-called "wet-cell" paintings. The instantaneous water heater inspires him to create "The Four Elements". This is followed by "Bathtub", "Kitchen with Sink" and "WC". These paintings give the impression of being covered in skin. H.R.G. is given the opportunity to buy a small terraced house with a garden in Oerlikon, Zurich. In April, after two months of renovation, H.R.G. and Li move in. The Bischofsberger Gallery shows H.R.G.'s Passages.
1971
England trip
F.M. Murer has been living in London for over a year. An excuse for H.R.G. and Li to visit England. Murer and H.R.G. decide to shoot the documentary Passages about H.R.G.'s visual world. The mysterious docklands of London are the first filming location.
1971
1972
Kassel Art Association
The Kasseler Kunstverein is showing an exhibition of works by H.R.G.. H.R.G. works on various series: Passages, Skin Landscapes and psychedelic airbrush environments.
1973
Death of Friedrich Kuhn
Friedrich Kuhn - in H.R.G.'s estimation one of Switzerland's greatest artists - dies. He was a frequent guest at Li and Eveline's in 1969/70 and usually spent the night at the kitchen table. H.R.G. and Kuhn shared a deep friendship and mutual admiration. For the Zurich art world, Kuhn was a master of the art of living. H.R.G. used an airbrush to paint over a series of photos taken by Kuhn shortly before his death, showing the Magus on his favorite sofa, creating the painting Homage to Friedrich.
H.R.G. is commissioned to design a record cover for the English rock group Emerson, Lake and Palmer. He designs the cover for the LP Brain Salad Surgery. During a two-week "retreat", H.R.G. creates Tagtraum, a series of four paintings, in collaboration with Claude Sandoz and Walter Wegmüller.
1973
1974
"The Daydream" at the Bündner Kunstmuseum
"The Daydream" is exhibited at the Bündner Kunstmuseum. The atmosphere of the voluntary retreat in which the work was created is captured in a documentary film by J.J. Wittmer.
1975
Passage Temple
Passagen-Tempel, a work that H.R.G. created especially for the Sydow-Zirkwith Gallery, is exhibited in the foyer of the Bündner Kunstmuseum.
Jörg Stummer encourages Li to open her own gallery in an adjoining room. She shows Manon, Pfeiffer and Klauke. At her last exhibition entitled "Schuwerk", where guests are invited to attend the opening in unusual shoe creations, H.R.G. films the guests for the documentary "Gigers Necronomicon". This film is produced in collaboration with J.J. Wittmer. After this artistic sensation, Li falls back into a state of lethargy and ends her life with a bullet.
1975
1976
On February 5, H.R.G.'s birthday, the new Sydow-Zirkwith Gallery in Frankfurt opens with an exhibition specially conceived for this space. The accompanying catalog shows all the works and contains a detailed text by Professor Albert Glaser.
The nine-year relationship with Li, which ended so painfully with her death, leaves a terrible void in H.R.G.'s life.
The second celebration of the four takes place in H.R.G.'s circle of friends at Ueli Steinle's Ugly Club in Richterswil, a happening that is both the inauguration of the club and a memorial service for Li
Through contact with the American painter Bob Venosa, which led via Salvador Dali to Alexandro Jodorowsky, the director of the films El Topo and Holy Mountain. H.R.G. is commissioned to work on the film Dune. Based on a screenplay by Moebius, H.R.G. creates the world of the Harkonnen.
1978
Ridley Scott and 20th Century Fox
HR Giger's Necronomicon had just been published in several languages in the fall of 1977. One of the first copies is sent to Dan O'Bannon, who shows it to Ridley Scott and 20th Century Fox, the company in which the Alien project has found a financially strong Hollywood producer. The gentlemen from the film company are convinced that H.R.G. is the right man for the project.
At the beginning of February, director Ridley Scott and two producers from 20th Century Fox inform H.R.G. about the terms and financial modalities of the film. Four hours later, the ordeal is over and the gentlemen travel back to the USA. 20th Century Fox finances an Alien folder with six screen prints, which H.R.G. signs and numbers and hands over to the film's publicists.
1978
1979
Mia
To promote the film, H.R.G. is sent to the European premiere in Nice with Mia, the troubleshooter, and from there to London and Paris. Weeks later, he flies to New York, and after a stopover in Dallas, where he gives a total of 23 television interviews in one day, he finally arrives stressed and depressed just in time for the preview in Hollywood, accompanied by Mia, Timothy Leary and his wife Barbara. The official screening takes place two days later at Graumann's Egyptian Theater on Sunset Boulevard. The giant space jockey, which was specially made for the film, is brought from England and displayed in front of the theater. It later becomes the victim of a pyromaniac attack.
H.R.G. and Mia give interviews for up to five hours a day. H.R.G. develops a real "alien interrogation allergy". After this mega trip, H.R.G. and Mia get married.
1980
H.R.G. is nominated for an Oscar
The designs and paintings for the film Alien are first exhibited in Zurich at the Galerie Baviera and then at the Musèe Cantonal des Beaux-Arts in Lausanne. H.R.G. is nominated for an Oscar.
Short stopover in New York to attend the opening of H.R.G.'s exhibition at the Hansen Galleries, New York. Bob Guccione has published H.R.G.'s erotic images in a fourteen-page color article in American Penthouse and is now sponsoring the extravagant exhibition opening.
HRG with Farah Fawcett and the Oscar-winning crew for "Alien" in 1980.
On April 14, H.R.G. will be presented with an Academy Award for Best Achievement in Visual Effects for his contribution to the film Alien at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
1980
1981
Harkonnen chair for Dune
H.R.G.'s N.Y.. City images are inspired by his five trips to New York and an important template that his colleague Cornelius de Fries, with whom he has been working on the furniture project since the mid-1980s, brought back from one of his trips to the electronics industry.
Since the spring of 1979, de Fries has been working in a specially rented studio near H.R.G.'s apartment on a technically highly complex chair design, which is part of the "Harkonnen" set for the film Dune.
1982
In Zurich, a table (a variant of the chair) and a mirror frame are added to the furniture range. These will be exhibited and tested in the Nouvelle restaurant.
H.R.G. and Mia get divorced after about a year and a half. They remain good friends.
In the fall, H.R.G. begins designing the preliminary presentation of The Tourist for the Universal film company. In collaboration with director Brian Gibson, he produces seventy sketches and eleven large paintings. Conny de Fries builds a 1:100 scale model of one of the sets.
1982
1983
The series of Victory paintings, some of which were applied with fluorescent paint, leads to the totems: naked, technical posts, each crowned by a screaming head, rising out of a devastated landscape. Similarly, a lithograph entitled Mexican Bomb Pair is the starting point for a series of bomb paintings.
H.R.G. is invited to the Festival of Fantastic Film in Madrid and Brussels as guest of honor. The film project The Tourist is postponed after the great success of E. T. H.R.G. is invited to Munich by Horst Wendtland, head of Rialto Films, to discuss a film adaptation of Momo, the children's book by German author Michael Ende.
A Parisian film group is presenting another screenplay based on certain paintings by H.R.G., entitled Passages. Another project, The Mirror, another horror film from 20th Century Fox, is also under discussion.
H.R.G. begins a series of small-format sheets, 48 x 34 cm, in which he uses his perspective stencils for the first time. H.R.G.'s relief concrete panels are produced in de Fries' studio.
1984
Collaboration with Martin Schwarz
Retrospective exhibition at the Kulturzentrum Pfäffikon; exhibition catalog published by Edition ABC. Film accompanying the retrospective by Daniel Freitag and Rolando Colla. Ron Moore, director of Future Kill, persuades Giger to design the posters for his film. The posters are published by Ed Neal, the legendary Texas Chainsaw Massacre actor. Collaboration with Martin Schwarz. About fifteen paintings are produced. The friendship with Marlyse strongly influences Giger's image of women.
HRG with his longtime friend and great artist Martin Schwarz
1984
1985
MGM and Poltergeist
He is commissioned by MGM to create various horror scenes for the film Poltergeist II under the direction of Brian Gibson. On December 1, 1984, H.R.G. and his manager fly to Los Angeles. H.R.G. is signed for the film.
Giger's colleague de Fries, who was hired by Richard Edlund (Boss Film), tries to push through as many of Giger's ideas as possible. De Fries, however, was only allowed to produce models. On May 23, 1985, filming began on location at a supermarket in the desert near Los Angeles. Giger and his manager meet Julian Beck, the terminally ill former director of the Living Theater. H.R.G. realizes that he is worried about the wrong film. Too late! When he signs his contract, no one is willing or able to give H.R.G. any details about Aliens, which is going into production at the same time. The first shots of the children's horror film Poltergeist II, written by Michael Grais and Mark Viktor, look professional. The special effects by Richard Edlund have not yet been filmed, but H.R.G. is concerned about the quality of the final product, as the plot is weak and not to his taste.
H.R.G. is commissioned by Volvo to create a painting for Isaac Asimov's short story The Route to Hyperspace. In Zurich, Edition C reprints Necronomicon 1 and 2. The deluxe edition in an embossed cover contains an original lithograph printed by the legendary Max Winistorf, who died shortly afterwards.
1986
Exhibition in Japan
Preparations for a major exhibition in the galleries of the Seibu Museum of Art in Tokyo in February 1987. Both Necronomicon 1 and 2 and Giger's Alien are translated into Japanese and published by Treville. Catalan Communications N.Y.C. publishes the first English-language supplement to Necronomicon 2.
The Swiss television station DRS commissions Conny de Fries to design a television award, the "Prix Tell". Conny de Fries produces the model according to H.R.G.'s designs.
Sony launches the first laserdiscs with cover designs by H.R.G. in Japan. Alexander Bohr shoots a 45-minute portrait of The Fantastic Universe of H.R. Giger for ZDF. Poltergeist II is released worldwide. The film is a box office hit in the United States, but soon disappears from the big screen in Europe. H.R.G. is very dissatisfied with the visual realization of his ideas.
1986
1987
Japanese-language editions of existing books
Exhibition in Japan, organized by the Seibu Group, Tokyo. In addition to the themes of Giger's Alien and Poltergeist II, the original alien monster, a Harkonnen chair and other original paintings are shown. H.R.G. paints a Japanese excursion series, a Japanese Giger Fan Club is founded especially for this exhibition (H.R. Giger Fan Club, Biomechanoids 87, [Thoru Ito], D35-302, 1-2 Fuishiro-Dai, Suita City, Osaka, 565 Japan). The following topics will be discussed: Japanese-language editions of existing books (Alien, Necronomicon 1 and 2) and the printing of six different designs and as posters, as well as a cover for a laserdisc. Plans for the construction of a Giger farm in Tokyo are also discussed.
H.R.G. is commissioned to create the monster Goho Dohji for a film by Japanese director Akio Jitsusoji.
1988
Giger Bar in Tokyo
After the exhibition in Japan, Giger's most important books - Necronomicon 1 and 2 and Giger's Alien - will be translated. The Japanese Giger Fan Club publishes a limited edition of 100 signed and numbered copies of its annual publication. A ten-volume edition by A. Crawly and individual works by Lovecraft and T. Leary are published in slipcases with Giger motifs. Due to strict building regulations, only fragments of the original concept of the four-storey Giger Bar planned for Tokyo have survived.
Despite Giger's reservations, the bar is built and inaugurated by U. Steinle. Exhibition at Jes Petersen's gallery in Berlin. Participation in an "Alchemy Symposium" in St. Gallen. The book Biomechanics is published by Edition C, Zurich, Peter Baumann; in France it is distributed with a text supplement in French by Bijan Aalam. Exhibition "Expanded Drawings" at Rolf Müller's Art Magazin gallery.
1988
1989
Giger uses relief-like textures to bring more life to the structure of his color pictures. Illustrations for Pier Geering's Robofok story, lettering by Daniel Affolter and the first color comics for "Strapazin" and other magazines are created. Negotiations with A. Schraner lead to a poster for the 10th international Hells Angels meeting in Agasul, Switzerland, which is only intended for club members.
Negotiations about Alien 3 and talks with Ridley Scott about a new film. Publication of the Japanese edition of Biomechanoids (Yuji Takeda, Tuttle-Mori, Treville, Tokyo). Participation in Angels, Devils and Demons, a five-hour film by Heinz Dieckmann about fantastic art.
Giger writes down his memories for Benedikt Taschen Verlag, Cologne. Exhibition at Château Yverdon as part of the public relations work for the first European science fiction museum, La Maison d'Ailleurs, which is to be opened in 1991 as part of the 700th anniversary celebrations of the Swiss Confederation.
Participates for the third time in the Fêtes des Morts at Rolf Müller's Art Magazin gallery. Collaboration on a cultural magazine with Bettina and Hans Klink in Zurich.
1990
50 years of HR Giger
H.R. Giger celebrates his fiftieth birthday. Works on ideas for Ridley Scott's film The Train. However, Scott postpones the movie.
With the active support of Etienne Chatton and Barbara Gawryziak, he prepares the exhibition Alien dans ses Meubles, which takes place from May to September at the Chateau Gruyères. Separation from his longtime manager, Ueli Steinle. Starts working with Leslie Barany, who has been a good friend for 10 years, as his new agent.
Design of a bag for the Migros Group with an edition of one million. Various exhibitions at the Kunsthaus in Chur in honor of his birthday. Art and war exhibition in Berlin. Drawings in Guarda and Nyon at the Carrè Blanc gallery. For the CruschAlba restaurant in Guarda, he designs one side of a gold coin (worth 250 Sf.), which can be used as a voucher for a meal for two.
He makes various iron casts of old sculptures. Participation in several documentaries, including Gens de la Lune for the television program Viva by C. Delieutraz; Telè cinè Romandie by Andrè Blanchoud; and Profiles for Japanese television.
Further work with Mia Bonzanigo. Mona Uhl successfully fights the chaos in the house. Furniture designs for the Giger Bar in Chur in collaboration with T. Domenig, Chur. The most important project this year, however, is the design for the American film Alien 3. Preparatory work for ART 1991 at the Galerie Hilt in Basel. Inquiries from Disney Imageneering about a future collaboration.
Working on his own film project, The Mystery of San Gottardo. A companion book in the form of a graphic novel, in which Giger's biomechanoids play an important role, is also taking shape. H.R.G. considers this year to be very important.
1990
1991
Design work for the film Dead Star by Bill Malone. Exhibition Les Livres D'Esquisse at Macadamla M.J.C. de Cluse, Cluse. Vernissage "Arh+ book" at the Galerie Art Magazin, Zurich. H.R.G. is visited by Peter and Andreas Bürki from Swatch. Interview for the magazine Warten with Rudolf Stoert and Dana Bordan. Galerie Hilt presents a solo exhibition of "swatched" Maxiwatches from H.R.G.'s Watch Abart at the Basel Art Fair91. The exhibition H.R.G.'s Biomechanic Visions opens in Davos with a lecture by Jürg Federspiel.
The documentary Alien 1-3 by Paul Bernard, which includes an interview with H.R.G., is released by CBS/20th Century Fox, together with the laserdisc Alien 1, which contains documentary material and an interview with Z.R.G. The Giger Library Room opens at the Maison D'Ailleurs in Yverdon, a Science fiction museum with Giger library, renovated prison cells with paintings, sculptures and alien props.
1992
On February 8, the Giger Bar opens in the Kalchbühl Center in Chur. The owner is Thomas Domenig. Juhani Nurmi produces the 30-minute documentary film Giger's Passage to the E flat in Davos, Chur and at Walo Steiner in Asp for Finnish television. Jürg Federspiel gives an interview for the program. H.R.G. is interviewed in the Giger Bar for a BBC Omnibus program about Ridley Scott. H.R.G. meets Roman Güttinger, one of the biggest collectors of Alien props. H.R.G. takes part in the Swiss television program Dynamix.
Launch of the computer game Dark Seed, produced by Cyberdreams (Patrick Ketchum) using the works of H.R.G. Work on the Zodiac fountain. Opening of a major H.R.G. retrospective at the Museum Baviera in Zurich.
H.R.G. writes a short story about his occult experiences, which appears in the book HR Giger Arh+ published by Benedikt Taschen Verlag. Paul Grau then publishes the story - about the Satan's head in H.R.G.'s collection - in the RTL program 'Unsolved Mysteries'.
Giger receives the 16mm film Sex, Drugs and Giger from Sandra Beretta and Bätsch, a 4 1/2-part animated film based on his pictures. The Baphomet Tarot, created by H.R.G. and Akron for A.G. Müller, Neuenhausen/Rhine, is premiered at the Giger Bar in Chur and at the Museum Baviera, Zurich.
1992
1993
Milestone Title
The Alien exhibition opens at the Museum Baviera in Zurich. Roman Guttinger is showing a large selection from his private collection. The exhibition is primarily dedicated to Alien 3. One-man retrospective at Galerie Humus. Interview with ARTE TV. Solo exhibition at Galerie Herzog, Büren zum Hof. From August, H.R.G. works with Sandra Beretta on the projects that are close to his heart, especially the books. Swatch decides not to work with H.R.G. as originally planned. Solo exhibition entitled H.R. Giger's Watch Abart '93 at Galerie Bertram, Burgdorf, and at the Alexander Gallery, New York. The latter exhibition is coordinated by Leslie Barany, who also publishes the catalog H.R. Giger's Watch Abart '93.
1994
Giger's beloved mother Melly dies
Sascha Serfoezoe and Mia Bonzanigo are commissioned by Giger to organize exhibitions in German-, French- and Italian-speaking countries. Solo exhibition entitled Giger's Watch Abart at Galerie Mangisch, Zurich; solo exhibition at Galerie Eclisse, Locarno.
H.R.G. is a guest lecturer for one semester at the Hochschule für Gestaltung (GBMS) in Zurich. In February, he begins work on the film Species for MGM.
Participation in group exhibitions at Galerie Hartmann, Munich, at the Tattoo Convention in Bologna, as well as at the Fetisch & Kult, Tempel, Munich and Du Fantastique au Vesionnaire festivals in Venice. H.R.G. begins planning a Giger museum to present the entire spectrum of his work. Work begins on the ghost train for Species in collaboration with Atelier de Fries and Andy Schedler from FormArt.
Giger's beloved mother Melly dies at the age of 89.
1994
1995
Serfoezoe works with Giger on special projects. He develops the special gift of being able to decipher H.R.G.'s handwriting without wanting to change its content or translate it into good German. The ghost train is transported to L.A. One-man show as part of the 13ème festival du film fantastique in Brussels. Solo exhibition at the Kunsthalle Gießen, Confrontations with Sybille Ruppert. Further exhibitions, including Le Train Fantôme at the Maison D'Ailleurs, Yverdon; Synaesthesia, Mary Anthony Galleries, N.Y.C., Psychedelic Lolution Gallery, N.Y.C.; Abitare il Temo, Delirium Design, Verona.
Continuation of the work on Species, the science fiction film by R. Donaldson based on the screenplay by D. Feldman, produced by Frank Mancuso, Jr. for MGM, L.A.. For the film, H.R.G. designs an extraterrestrial beauty and a "minimalized" ghost train. The film is released in cinemas in the USA in July and is MGM's biggest success to date: Box office takings of 17.1 million US dollars in one weekend alone.
H.R.G.'s work on Species inspires him to build a garden railroad, which he constructs as an outdoor installation in his garden with a 7 1/4-gauge railroad. He is supported by Harry Omura, Florian, Stahl & Traum, Ball & Sohn, Robert Christoph Jr, Marco Poleni, Fritz Rütimann, Andy Stutz and Tanja Wolfensberger. H.R.G. and S. Beretta are working on several book projects, including the companion book to the film Species, which will be published later this year, and another book on Giger's film designs. The editing and translation of these two books will be overseen by Les Barany. He launches his project H.R. Giger Under Your Skin and begins to compile photos of tattoos with Giger motifs.
1996
Zurich, Kunsthaus: Illusion, Emotion, Reality, an anniversary exhibition celebrating 100 years of film, curated by Dr. H. Szeemann. Further exhibitions in Vienna, Venice and Barcelona. F. Alain Gegauf becomes a friend and advisor to H.R.G.. H.R.G. takes part in the erotica exhibition at the Kunsthaus Zürich with four drawings Sex Education Charts.
H.R. Giger is also working with Leslie Barany on a comprehensive book about his Mystery of San Gottardo project, which will be published simultaneously in English and German.
HRG and Les Barany with the new Goggle Baby
Together with the computer graphics specialists Fabian Wicki in Bern and PanVision, H.R.G. creates 3-D images for a 1996 Benedikt Taschen calendar and begins the book www HR Giger com.
HRG and Carmen
Mia organizes a major retrospective in Milan, at Palazzo Bagatti Valsecchi, H.R. Giger - Visioni di Fine Millennio, Arteutopia. Development of an idea for a new film project based on a story and a sculpture by H.R.G.: The Cross and the Blade. Experiments with holograms, 100 x 100cm, in collaboration with Urs Fries and Fischers.
HRG and Carmen. HRG signs at a vernissage in Lucerne, Switzerland.In collaboration with Thomas Riehm, the official Giger Internet website will be launched on March 19 at the address www.HRGiger.com online. In the first year, over 200,000 visitors from over 100 countries logged on.
1996
1997
Castle of St. Germain Gruyères
Giger's new book www HRGiger com, an authentic life story of Giger from the early sixties to the present day, is published by Benedikt Taschen, Cologne.
On September 11, St. Germain Gruyères AG buys St. Germain Castle at auction for the establishment of the new Giger Museum.
1998
Mystery of San Gottardo
Giger's new book Mystery of San Gottardo has been published by Benedikt Taschen - Cologne. Book H.R. Giger's Retrospective 1964-84, Morpheus International - Los Angeles. CFM Gallery, New York, International Artists - Peep Show. Sapporo, Museum Otaru, Fantastic Realism. Caliban Gallery, New York, Sculptures and Prints, curated by Leslie Barany.
HR Giger's private art collection at St. Germain Castle - Gruyeres.
1998
2000
H.R. Giger turns 60
H.R. Giger celebrates his sixtieth birthday. More than 1,000,000 visitors to Giger's official website www.HRGiger.com.
Giger designs the microphone stand for the band "Korn"
2001
New management for HR Giger Museum
Carmen Giger and Ingrid Lehner replace Barbara Gawrysiak as directors of the HR Giger Museum. - Alf Bättig (KoKo) and Frank Holler join the Giger crew.
2001
2002
Milestone Title
TASCHEN publishes ICON HR GIGER with a text by world-renowned psychiatrist Dr. Stanislav Grof, a good friend of Carmen and HRG. The foreword is by Les Barany, Giger's agent and friend. Introduction of the jewelry line of the H.R. Giger Museum with rings, pendants and belt buckles.
In March, a memorable trip to New York City with Carmen and Ronald Brandt for the opening of HR Giger / NYC 2002 at the Fuse Gallery.
2003
Opening of the HR Giger Museum Bar
April 12, Opening ceremony for the HR Giger Museum Bar and the opening of the Martin Schwarz exhibition
the exhibition by Martin Schwarz, Among the Living, in the Museum Gallery. Jean François and Isabelle Chappellay are the new bar guards. August 30: Unveiling of the sculpture Sabotage by HR Giger on the island of Harakka, Finland.
September 5, opening of the exhibition HR Giger, Woodstock 2003 at the Fletcher Gallery in Woodstock, NY, curated by Les Barany. August 7: Presentation of Giger's "Tattoo Biomechanoid" sculpture as the prize for the best HR Giger tattoo at the Woodstock Tattoo & Body Arts Festival. In November, the American sculptor Paul Komoda visits Giger's house in Zurich to work with him on the Baphomet pendant.
2003
2004
August 5, exhibition opening at the LOEB emporium in Bern, presentation of the limited edition of the print for the financing and construction of the HR Giger Museum Castle Train Ride. September 16 - February 6, 2005, Le monde selon H.R. Giger (The World According to H.R. Giger), a 5-month retrospective at the Museum Halle Saint Pierre, in Paris, co-curated by Stephan Stucki / Art Communication.
September 21, opening of Biomechanoides Paris at the Arludik Gallery in Paris, December 17, H.R. Giger receives the La Médaille de la Ville de Paris award at Paris City Hall.
2004 also saw the release of Chtulhu News, a portfolio of 6 limited edition prints, the H.R. Giger Baphomet pendant in sterling silver, the introduction of LI II, the first in a series of five H.R. Giger collectibles from McFarlane Toys, the launch of the Giger SmartSkin for cell phones from Wildseed Ltd. and the completion of several important projects with the indispensable help of Giger's most important and longtime assistant Ronald Brandt: the three-dimensional Passage sculptures, the mini-Harkonnen environment, a prototype carriage for the Castle Train Ride and, last but not least, the Alien Back-Scratcher.
2005
Ibanez Guitars presents the HR Giger Signature Guitar Series.
The opening of Works Never Shown at Galerie Baviera, Zurich. April 14 - July 13: HR Giger in Prague, a retrospective at the National Technical Museum, Prague, Czech Republic. The success of the exhibition is marred by the fact that the two important paintings ELP I and II disappeared before they were returned to Zurich after the end of the exhibition.
Grof Transpersonal Training (www.holotropic.com) and Carmen organize a seminar at the museum with Stanislav Grof and HR Giger. Their friend Albert Hofmann is a special guest. The 99-year-old discoverer of LSD is still in very good shape.
On December 1, Urs Tremp opens Gigeregg in St.Gallen, Switzerland - a store with Giger's art and objects (www.gigeregg.ch). Eli Livingston completes the sculpture of the silver guardian angel pendant under Giger's guidance in time for Christmas. Dr. Carlos Arenas of the University of Valencia, Spain, publishes his dissertation, El mundo de Hr.
2005
2006
Giger and Carmen get married
May 24, opening of a major retrospective at KunstHausWien in Vienna, co-curated by Stephan Stucki. The exhibition is the occasion for a joyful reunion with the artist's close friends, affectionately known as the "Giger Gang". On September 2, Giger takes part in the opening festivities of the International Biennale Austria-2006 in Hüttenberg, Carinthia.
In a renewed relationship with Celtic Frost, an agreement is made to license the Satan I painting as t-shirts to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its first appearance as the cover of their first album To Mega Therion.
October 5: Giger takes part in the opening of the group exhibition In the Alps at the Kunsthaus Zurich. Matthias Belz and Marco Witzig produce the complete catalog raisonné. Les Barany proves that he is still a great art director by designing a new series of advertisements for the 2006 edition of Ibanez guitars.
2007
New museum website
Solo exhibition from June to September at the Bündner Kunstmuseum Chur.
Launch of the new website www.hrgigermuseum.com.
Together with Ronald Brandt, Giger completes a detailed 1:6 scale model of the Museum Giger Bar.
2007
2008
10 years HR Giger Museum
The HR Giger Museum is celebrating its 10th anniversary. The book 10 Years HR Giger in Gruyères is being published to mark the occasion. At the same time, the book HR Giger/Martin Schwarz: Collaboration 1984 published.
2009
Exhibitions in Germany, Finland and Spain
The German Film Museum is organizing a major exhibition on Giger's film designs in Frankfurt am Main. The exhibition will subsequently also be shown at the Tampere Art Museum in Finland.
Another retrospective is taking place in San Sebastián, Spain.
2009
2010
On the occasion of Giger's 70th birthday, the exhibition HR Giger in Obwalden will be held in Sarnen, Switzerland, accompanied by a catalog.
25 years after the album To Mega Therion by Celtic Frost, Giger collaborates with Celtic Frost's successor band, Triptykon, and contributes the painting Vlad Tepes.
2011
Prometheus
The Kunst Haus Wien in Vienna shows the exhibition Dreams and visions.
Giger is invited by director Ridley Scott to contribute to the Alien sequel Prometheus. He produces several dozen sketches and meets with Scott in London.
2011
2012
Premiere of Prometheus
Giger and Carmen attend the premiere of Prometheus in London, invited by Ridley Scott.
2013
Milestone Title
Giger is a "featured artist" at Ars Electronica in Linz, Austria, and is showing the exhibition The Art of Biomechanics at the Lentos Art Museum.
The book "Alien Diaries" is published, containing a facsimile of Giger's original alien diaries as well as transcriptions in English and German.
The 15th anniversary of the Giger Museum is celebrated in Gruyères in the presence of the artist.
2013
2014
HR Giger dies in a fall
The second collaboration between Giger and Triptykon, the album Melana Chasmata, will be released in spring.
On May 12, Giger dies after a fall in his house. On May 25, he is buried in the Gruyères cemetery, within sight of his museum.