Category Archives: Histoire de l’art

H.R. Giger

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83kJOl06ikk?rel=0&w=640&h=480]

HR Giger is probably best known for his creature which was brought to life in the franchise of Alien films. But for almost 50 years Giger has been producing artwork and has established himself as one of the word’s best Fantastic Realism artists.

Born in 1940 in Chur Switzerland he know resides in Zurich Switzerland. But JustSayGo’s television host and travel journalist Ron Stern caught up with Giger at his bar in Gruyeres Switzerland. The artist is not known for giving many interviews, especially on camera, which is what makes the exclusive interview so special.

Ron was also able to talk to Giger’s wife Carmen Maria Giger who mentions having a poster of Giger’s work when she was 17 but had no idea who the artist was.

He is an artist that has had a career most artists would envy. Early in his career he set himself apart by using a freehand airbrush technique to develop his own unique and now well known style.

In 1977 he published the book Necronomicon which is what was the visual inspiration for director Ridley Scott’s film Alien. The director commissioned HR Giger to design the film’s title character as well as the film’s alien environment. These designs earned Giger an Oscar in 1980 for Best Achievement in Visual Effects.

Giger’s work also had an influence on rock n roll. His work graced the cover of many notable musicians such as Debbie Harry, Danzig, and Celtic Frost, just to name a few. His most well known though is probably Emerson, Lake, and Palmer’s 1973 album Brain Salad Surgery. Sadly the original art work from that double cover was recently stolen and is still missing.

Today HR Giger’s work can be found through out Europe. You can find more information about HR Giger, his work, and where it is currently on display at his website.

Le développement du merveilleux chez Corneille.

Lully, quand il obtint le privilège pour l’Opéra en 1672, limita l’utilisation de la musique théâtrale par d’autres compagnies afin d’éliminer toute concurrence fâcheuse. Ces restrictions rendaient impossible la production de la pièce à machine traditionnelle. Il fallait donc trouver de nouvelles sources de spectacle, un nouveau merveilleux.

Une vidéo de Jan Clarke.

L’art et l’archéologie de l’ancienne Nubie

This course examines the development of the art and architecture of the cultures of ancient Nubia through what we have learned from archaeology and how that evidence has helped us create the picture we now have of the culture and history of the birth and development of art and civilization in the Nile Valley.