Swiss artist and designer HR Giger has passed away at the age of 74 following a fall.
Perhaps best known for his work on Ridley Scott's
Alien, Giger won an Oscar in 1980 for his work on the 'Xenomorph'. He returned to the franchise for
Alien 3 and also went on to design other creatures including the alien from
Species.
Giger studied architecture and industrial design but it was his surreal paintings which mixed the organic with the mechanical that caught the eye of Ridley Scott. His painting Necronom IV was what inspired one of sci-fi's most enduring and frightening creatures.
Described as 'bio-mechanical', Giger's work often fused sexual imagery with grotesque figures which made a perfect match for Ridley Scott's vision for Alien, it's themes and tone.
Outside of the movies Giger opened his own museum in 1998 to show case his work and many of his paintings are still displayed around the world. He is survived by his wife Carmen.
HR Giger
1940 - 2014