R.I.P. H.R. Giger, iconic designer of Alien & surrealist artist, dead at 74

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

We have some sad news to share this morning as we have learned that the great H.R. Giger, the surrealist artist who designed the Xenomorph for the ALIEN series, has passed away at the age of 74.

Giger, who was born in Switzerland in 1940, was renowned for his bizarre, surreal art, mixing technology with organic, sexual with horrific. Giger's works, often showing macabre scenes of humans and machines fused into hellish hybrids, influenced a generation of movie directors and inspired an enduring fashion for "biomechanical" tattoos.

Giger also worked as a set designer for Hollywood, contributing to SPECIES (the 'Sil' design), POLTERGEIST II, DUNE, and most famously ALIEN, for which he received a 1979 Academy Award for special effects. Frequently frustrated by the Hollywood production process, Giger eventually disowned much of the work that was attributed to him on screen.

He recently worked with Ridley Scott on 2012′s PROMETHEUS, providing original designs.

Giger died from injuries suffered in a fall, according to Swiss public television network SRF, who learned of Giger's passing from his family.

We here at Arrow in the Head were big fans of Giger's incredible and iconic work and wish to express our deepest of condolences to Giger's many friends, family members, and fans.

Giger working on ALIEN