TAM 5 8

Organizacin / Organization
Carlos Arenas, Carlos Plasencia.
Coordinacin / Coordination
Lola Gil
Colaboradores / Support from
Pro Helvetia, Przens Schweiz
Canton de Fribourg.

Biomechanoic2002
153 x 53 x 57 cm
Aluminio / Aluminum

Derechos Reservados / All Rights Reserved. H.R. Giger

pdf created by www.littlegiger.com

5 9 TAM

Entrevista con Carlos Arenas, Comisario de la Exposicin

"H.R.Giger Escultura Grfica y Diseo" en la Universidad
Politcnica de Valencia.

Esta es la primera exposicin de la obra de HR Giger en

Espaa. Porqu, o mas bien, qu hizo que ahora fuera el
momento oportuno por la exposicin?
En los ltimos aos Giger ha visitado algunas de las principales
capitales europeas. Me pareca increble que an no se hubiera
hecho ninguna exposicin en Espaa. El origen del proyect se
origin a partir de mi tesis doctoral en la que he estado
trabajando durante 5 aos. Entonces pens que habra que
hacer una exposicin cuanto antes.
A Que problemas te enfrentaste para traer la exposicin aqu
a Valencia?
El proyecto se present a muchas instituciones pero tan slo la
Universitat Politcnica de Valencia apost decididamente por l.
El resto fue cuestin de implicar a todas las partes en l: al
propio artista, coleccionistas e instituciones suizas. Desde la
universidad apoyaron todas las decisiones importantes.
Conseguiste alrededor de 50 piezas para la exposicin.
de toda su trayectoria- Cual es el objetivo de la
exposicin? Si se puede decir que la exposicin
fue concebida con una vista didctica, que
esperas que estas obras ensean al publico?
El nmero de piezas est relacionado con el
espacio expositivo y son una muestra de tres
de sus facetas como artista (escultura, grfica
y diseo) adems de proponer un recorrido
retrospectivo por su obra desde 1965 al ao 2007.
La exposicin pretende acercar la obra de Giger a
Valencia y a Espaa, reivindicndolo en el mbito acadmico,

Sala de Exposiciones del Rectorat de la

Universitat Politcnica de Valencia.

donde hasta ahora se le ha marginado. En cambio es muy

reconocido en el underground y en el arte alternativo, hecho que
se siempre me ha llamado mucho la atencin.
Adems el inters para los estudiantes de bellas artes, diseo y
comunicacin audiovisual es significativo.
Todos conocemos al Giger de Alien. Pero alejndonos de esta
percepcin tan estrecha, que podemos encontrar?
En efecto, Giger es conocido principalmente por ser el artista de
Alien. Pero es slo una ms de sus mltiples facetas, la de
diseador cinematogrfico. Su obra es interesantsima desde
muchos puntos de vista: su calidad dibujstica, sus visiones, su
esttica, su originalidad, su impacto en el audiovisual
contemporneo... Sus creaciones pictricas y sus diseos
destacan, pero no hay que olvidar sus fascinantes esculturas.
Hablar de Giger es hablar del comienzo de una esttica que
influye en el underground cultural- tanto el tatuaje y las artes
plasticas como el cine y la moda. Que conexin hay entre el
"Gtico" y el "Dark" de hoy y la obra de Giger?
Giger es un artista visionario y un pionero en
muchas de las sensibilidades del final de siglo: la
Nueva Carne, el cyborg, la biomecnica, son
conceptos muy relacionados con su arte. El
gtico y el dark actuales, no tienen sentido
desde el punto de vista plstico y esttico, sin el
impacto que Giger ha tenido en las artes en los
ltimos 30 aos. Tanto lo gtico como lo dark se
definen muy bien si contemplamos sus pinturas al
aergrafo, y las profundas lecturas que desprenden.
Dado que la mera idea del "Bio-mecnico," es un tema principal

TAM 6 0

Foto / Photo: Matthias Belz.

Ancestral Grafics.

WWW.
HRGigerMuseum.com
HRGiger.com
myspace.com/hr_giger_official
gigerworkcatalog.com
LittleGiger.com

(4) Ancestral Grafics.

Zodiaczeichen Zwilling 2001

196 x 60 x 60 cm
Aluminio / Aluminum

Biomechanoid 2002
153 x 53 x 57 cm
Aluminio / Aluminum

de su obra y hoy en da, ha llegado a demarcar un estilo definido

del tatuaje, puedes comentarnos algo acerca a la conexin entre
Giger y tattoo? Ves que esa apropiacin de las deas de Giger
enriquece la vista de su obra por lo general?
El tatuaje biomecnico naci obviamente por, el impacto de las
obras de Giger en algunos tatuadores. La moda naci en Estados
Unidos a mediados de los aos 80, y se extendi rpidamente a
medida que se difunda su obra.
Lo cierto es que en algunas de las pinturas de Giger aparecen
cuerpos decorados con dibujos y smbolos y en general las
imgenes de Giger se adaptan perfectamente en diversas partes
del cuerpo. Ya en 1981 Giger pint diversas modelos con el
aergrafo, incluso la cantante Debbie Harry, fue pintada por l
para uno de sus videoclips. Estas fotografas y la gran influencia
del film Alien seran los orgenes del tatuaje biomecnico.

Birth Machine Baby 1998

52 x 22 x 22 cm
Aluminio / Aluminum

6 1 TAM

Babies gerostet -1998 100 x 200 cm Poliester / Polyester

Giger dice que los que portan sus obras tatuadas son
sus fans ms incondicionales y los admira
profundamente.
La piel, al igual que el cine o los libros han sido vehculos
para la transmisin de sus ideas y de los iconos gigerescos.
Sientes en tu introduccin a la exposicin que por el hecho
de hacer obras comerciales el mundo de arte mas ortodoxo
rechaz a Giger en cierta forma, mientras su reputacin
creci en el circuito alternativo. Ahora que el alternativo se
ha puesto de moda, ha permitido una reivindicacin o
reinvestigacin de su obra?

Ancestral Grafios.

Seguramente, si Giger no hubiera trabajado en el cine, ni

colaborado en Alien, su carrera en galeras y museos hubiera
sido ms fructfera. Pero tambin es cierto que de triunfar en
la "alta cultura" su difusin no hubiera trascendido de la
manera que lo ha hecho, y muchos jams le hubieran
conocido, puesto que el arte de los museos se ha convertido
hoy en algo demasiado elitista.
Las cosas han sucedido as. Pero desde mi punto de vista, el
xito de Alien o Species o su fascinacin en los artistas
jvenes no le resta mrito para que hoy mismo se le
compare con El Bosco, Goya o Dal, y se le considere como
a uno de los artistas ms importantes de nuestro tiempo.
Matthias Belz

Guardian Angel 2002

100 x 80 x 50 cm
Poliester / Polyester

H.R. Giger Inauguracin de la Exposicin en Valencia, Espaa.

Opening of the Exhibition in Valencia, Spain.

TAM 6 2

El da 18 de Octubre 2007 se inagur la primera exposicin en Espaa de la obra de H.R.Giger,

en la Sala de Exposiciones del Rectorat de la Universitat Politcnica de Valencia.
La exposicin fue un gran xito, y fue hasta el 12 de diciembre. An despus de casi dos meses,
los guardias tenan que echar a los visitantes.

Si tienes la suerte de estar en Frankfurt el ao que viene, habr

una exposicin presentando una seleccin amplia de los
trabajos relacionados con el cine de H.R. Giger.
If you have the good fortune to be in Frankfurt next fall, there
will be an exhibition presenting a comprehensive selection of the
film-related works of H.R. Giger.

www.deutschesfilmmuseum.de

6 3 TAM

On the 18th of October 2007 the first exhibition of the work of H.R. Giger opened
in the Exhibitions Hall of the Redorate of the Polytechnic University of Valencia.
The exhibition was a hit, and ran through the 12th of December.
Even after nearly a two month run, the guardshad to shush the last visitors out the door.

Filzstiftzeichnung 1971 100 x 280 cm - Rotulador sobre papel / Marker on paper

EXHIBITION
DEUTSCHES FILMMUSEUM
FRANKFURTAM MAIN:
NOVEMBER 2008 - MARCH 2009

6 5 TAM

Interview with Carlos Arenas, curator of H.R.Giger

Sculpture, Graphics, and Design at the Politechnic
University of Valencia.

This is the first exhibit of H. R. Giger's work in Spain. Why is

this the case, and perhaps more important, what made this the
right moment for the exhibit?
Giger has visited some of the major European capitals over the
last few years. It seemed incredible to me that no one had done
an exhibit in Spain. The project developed out of the five years I
spent working on my doctoral thesis. I thought the exhibit must
be done, and the sooner the better.
What problems did you face in bringing the exhibit to Valencia?
The project was presented to many institutions, but only the
University of Valencia was decidedly behind it. The rest was just
getting all the pieces in line: the artist himself, collectors and
Swiss institutions. The university supported the project in all the
big decisions.
You were able to get around 50 pieces for the expo, from
throughout Giger's career- What is the goal of the exhibit- if we
can talk about it as having a didactic vision, what do you want
it to teach the public?
The number of pieces depended on the exhibit's space, and they
are a display of his three facets as an artist (sculpture, pictorial

Plan Zu Biomechanoid I 1969

49 x74 cm Serigrafa / Screen-printing

and design) as well as serving as a retrospective of his career

from 1965 to 2007.
The exhibit intends to inspire a closer look at Giger's work in
Valencia and Spain, and spark new interest in his work in the
academic world, where it has been marginalized. At the same
time, his work has always received much recognition in the
underground world, which has always really caught my
attention. Furthermore, his work is of significant interest for
students of art, design and audiovisual communications.
We all know the Giger of Alien. But if we leave this narrow
impression of him behind, what can we find?
Effectively, Giger is principally known for being the artist behind
Alien. However, film design is only one of the many facets of his
work, which is very interesting from many points of view: the
quality of the drawing, his visions, the aesthetic, his originality
and his impact on current audio-visual production... His pictures
and designs stand out, and his fascinating sculptures are not to
be missed.
When we talk about Giger, we are also talking about the
beginning of an aesthetic that has had a huge influence on the
cultural underground. What's the connection between
today's Goth aesthetic and dark subculture and Giger's work?

Izq. / Left: Filzstiftzeichnung 1971 100 x 280 cm - Rotulador sobre papel / Marker on paper

TAM 6 6

Aleph 1972-73 240 x 216 cm - Impresin digital / Digital

6 7 TAM

Ancestral Grafics.

Biomechanical tattooing obviously was born thanks

to the impact of Giger's works. The style began in
the US in the mid-eighties. and spread widely as
his work became better known. And it's true that
in his work. many of the bodies are decorated
with drawings and symbols. and in general his
designs adapt quite well to various parts of the
body As far back as 1981. was painting different
models with airbrush. including the singer Debbie
Harry. who he painted for one of her music videos.
Between these photos and the huge influence of
the movie Alien. Biomechanical tattooing was
born. Giger says that those who wear his works as
tattoos are his most dedicated fans. and that he
has a great admiration for them. Skin. just like
movies and books. has been a vehicle for the
transmission of his ideas and icons.
Zodiaczeichen Zwilling 2001 196 x 60 x 60 cm Aluminio / Aluminum

Giger is a pioneering visionary in many of the fin-de- siecle aesthetic

sensibilities: the concepts of "new flesh" (like in the works of David
Cronenberg). the cyborg and the biomechanical all figure heavily in his work.
The Goth aesthetic of today wouldn't have the same forro it has today were
it not for Giger's impact over the last 30 years.
The Goth aesthetic can be defined very well by taking a look at his Airbrush
paintings, and the messages they emit.
Given that the mere idea of the Biomechanical is a primary theme of his
work, and currently, has become a defined style of tattooing, can you talk
a bit about the connection between Giger and Tattoo? Do you feel this
borrowing of his ideas enriches our understanding of his work in general?

You express in your introduction to the exhibit that

Giger's reputation has suffered in the orthodox art
world for doing commercial works, even as his
fame grew on the alternative circuit. Now that the
alternative is in fashion once again, has it allowed
for a reevaluation of his work?
It's certain that if Giger hadn't worked in film or
collaborated on Alien, that his gallery career would
have been more fruitful. On the other hand. if he
had triumphed in the world of "high culture." his
work probably would not have spread so widely.
and many people would not have had a chance to
see it. given that the institutional art world has
become so elitist.

Giger Tattoo / Valencia

Foto / Photo: Matthias Belz.

Or at least, that's how things have gone.

However, in my opinion neither the success of
Alien nor Species nor his fascinating appeal for
young artists take away from his merit, to the
contrary, one can easily compare his work to
Bosco, Goya and Dali, and consider him one of
the most important artists of our time.

Carlos Arenas.

(3) Matthias Belz

Harkonnen-Capo-Stuhl
1981
180 x 100 x 65 cm
Poliester / Polyester

Photo: 1998
www.DanaFrank.com
H.R. Giger with cast aluminum
Birth Machine Babies.
Edition of 23 in bronze and 23 in
aluminum 58,5 x 23 cm
Purchase inquines:
lesbarany@aol.com

6 9 TAM

Li I 1974
70 x 97 cm Acrilica y tinta sobre fotografa/
Acrylic and ink over photography

TAM 7 0

Gebrmaschine
1966
165 x 109 cm
Impresin en Alueloxal
Prnting on Alueloxal

Schacht Nr. 5
1966 4 2 x 3 1 cm
Serigrafa / Screen-printing
Biomechanoiden 1969
100 x 80 cm Serigrafa en negro
sobre plata / Screen-printing on silver

Agradecimientos /Special Thanks to:

H.R. Giger
Carmen Scheifele
Leslie Barany
Matthias Belz
Carlos Arenas
Vincent Castiglia
Universitat Politcnica Valncia
H.R. Giger Museum, Gruyres (Suiza)
y a todos los que han hecho posible /
and everyone who has made this possible.

71 TAM