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Rating: Our life, with all its more or less intense memories, sad or carefree, flows inexorably in a precise direction. The mind, and consequently the brain, places all experiences in a remote area of memory that time tends to make increasingly soft, ethereal, almost unreal. However, this is not always the case, as some events or meetings manage to maintain their particular identity deep within the self. It was so for me when I had the opportunity to visit Giger's exhibition back in '97...
Part one: towards the destination (unidentified afternoon time). The car journey to reach the exhibition was peaceful and lasted about half an hour. The only problem, even in those days, was the 'frantic' search for parking. However, I did not encounter major difficulties, and after parking the car in a nearby alley of the Palace, I quickly made my way towards it. Fortunately, now there are blue lines... for a fee... Part two: memory of a 'monstrous' exhibition. Entrance fee: "10 thousand lire...". Well! A fair price, considering that Giger was already famous and international. I perfectly remember, after entering, hearing in the background a delicate and non-intrusive Ambient-influenced music that spread, as I later discovered, in all the rooms. The exhibited works were various, I don't recall the exact number. Many of you will know this artist well enough due to his famous collaborations in the film industry, but also in comics and discography. In a more internal room, a video area was set up entitled: "The Making of Alien". In the footage featuring Hans, one could behold scenography, backgrounds, sculptures demonstrating his exceptional eclectic abilities, undoubtedly impressive.
To my great surprise, Giger stated in an interview that he never particularly loved this series. At that time, I was practically 'fasting' regarding certain graphic techniques. Even today, years later, those elaborations of three-dimensional structures, human forms, transparencies, appear almost unknown to me. Another room was completely occupied by huge panels (presumably of masonite), on which sheets of paper with suggestive views of cybernetic cities with the unmistakable 'Gigerian' bichromatic tones, all created with the airbrush, were applied. The emotion I experienced was unforgettable. Observing those masterpieces in front of a monitor or flipping through a book cannot be compared in any way to the 'live' vision.
In another section, there were displayed smaller-sized works, depicting newborns, strange machinery, and intricate mechanical structures developed with perspective progressions of apparent infinite regression, able to stimulate the viewer viscerally as few artists can do. Besides paintings and panels, the table with chairs that were used at the time to set up the Harkonnen castle in the film Dune were placed. The strength of this artist is his almost unreachable lucidity and the unparalleled ability to 'metamorphose' mechanical and technological structures indissolubly with biological forms. This essentially is a disturbing yet fascinating penetration between flesh and technology that synthesize with each other. Thus is born the term 'Biomechanoids', which only partially manages to explain the gigantic work carried out by Hans. Undoubtedly, his works also include a certain form of pornography, realized through the evocation of sexual and erotic symbols. Giger later revealed that his next studies would focus on transparencies related precisely to human but also alien forms, probably intended as possible biological prerogatives regarding the future. However, Giger would hope for the advent of a society as little as possible connected to the creations he developed. But who can know for sure?
Observing his works is hypnotic and disturbing not only for the content but also for the extremely high three-dimensional graphic detail present even in the smallest details, creating a cosmic vision. The powerful architectural base allows him to express himself with boundless width. Besides being a boundary artist, with his multifaceted expressions, he is also a forerunner of themes of synthesis between biology and technology. I have often wondered how Giger managed to reach such a level of creativity. Later, I discovered he had to survive a late birth. Perhaps, in some way, an excess of pre-birth visual information was indelibly absorbed into his brain, as indeed in many elaborations, one can spot shocking images of internal anatomy. The traumatic memories that probably remained imprinted on him were later expressed and sublimated with art. This is only a hypothesis since there might be more personal explanations of different origins.
Shortly before leaving the Palace that hosted Giger's anthology, I lingered at the entrance where a section set up for the sale of books, catalogs, sketches, and other curiosities had been arranged. I still remember regretfully that when I asked a kind young lady the price of a photographic book, I was sweetly told: "300 thousand lire". I politely replied: "Thanks, I'll think about it...". In the end, I did not purchase it. Perhaps I should have, given today's prices no longer in lire. Alien regards.
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