The Unholy Trinity

My latest artwork series 'The Unholy Trinity' is finally complete. The series has been a long running project over a number of months based around photographs I took of a rescued Great Grey Owl, courtesy of Kilton Raptor Rescue.

Spending tome with the captivatingly beautiful Great Grey Owl formed the basis for a series of characters I developed based around the different perspectives and 'faces' of the owl. Each character in the series has its own unique personality and a different part to play in the great story that is life. All of the characters within 'The Unholy Trinity' carry different supernatural powers and play their own role in the balance of the universre, be it the power of prophecy and predection, the third eye and the gift of the second sight or the blessing off boundless wisdom. The true message of 'The Unholy Trinity' is; Follow your future, live your dreams, play the part, you were born to be. 

'The Unholy Trinity' are now available to purchase as cards from my Etsy store at:
https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/DanseMacabreUK?ref=hdr_shop_menu

Hommage an HR Giger - Fabrik der Künste - Hamburg

Early in 2016 I heard that there was going to be a HR Giger exhibition held in Hamburg at the Fabrik der Künste (which hosted a previous Giger exhibition in 2012). I began doing some research and looking for details, but the exhibition hadn't even been officially announced yet, so I held fire, not wanting to get excited over the first exhibition since Gigers death if it wasn't actually taking place. After a couple of days, the official news appeared, and I permitted myself to get excited and hopeful of attending. Due a weekend away, me and my partner decided it was the perfect excuse for another Giger Pilgrimage and booked flights to Hamburg.

Having been to Germany a number of times, but never to Hamburg, I had no idea what to expect from the city itself. Apart from, I suspected; cold. Having been to Berlin in winter before and having to wear 2 coats and still being chilled to the bone, I packed accordingly for a North Eastern German winter. As we made our descent towards Hamburg, one glimpse of the snow covered fields and I knew Id made the right decision.

As usual I had planned the trip with military precision, with maps, museums and opening times in abundance. Unfortunately a few of those got left behind in England, so there was some confusion over the opening times of the Exhibition. After arriving 3 hours early, and cursing myself profusely,  we returned after a few beers and a late breakfast and all was resolved.

The Fabrik der Künste was quiet and peaceful, with only a few other people visiting the Exhibition during our time there, giving me the chance to study and absorb all of the pieces on display in silent reflection. I'd made it to the second floor before discovering that photography was permitted within the Exhibition (I'm so used to visiting museums where photography's not allowed I hadn't even asked). So I seized the chance to capture the pieces on display and preserve my memory if the exhibition.

The exhibition had a good variety of Giger's work on display, from early sketches and paintings, to pieces increasing in size and complexity, pieces from key series such as Passagen and New York City, as well as sculptures, furniture and prints. The exhibition is a must see for any Giger fanatic, but is also accessible to those with limited knowledge of his work, with timelines outlining his career and screenings of 'Dark Star' providing visitors with a glimpse into Giger's world.

There were many pieces on display from private collections which I've never seen before in the flesh, and may never do so again. Studying their detail and layering was an incredible, moving experience. I already knew from my visit to Château St. Germain that no books or prints can prepare you for the reality of the layers, light and dark, shading and details within Giger's work. It was wonderful to once again have the opportunity to study my heroes work up close and appreciate its beauty and unique honesty.

As well as having the chance to see private pieces such as 'National Park' and 'The Magus', I also felt very fortunate to finally see some of Giger's large sculpture work, such as the San Gottardo Biomechanoids. I have long dreamed of seeing the Zodiac fountain at Giger's home in Zurich, but I'm doubtful I'll ever get the chance, so it was great to see some of the sculptures which are part of the fountain up close.

The pilgrimage was another incredibly rewarding trip to see the work of my hero and appreciate his genius. The exhibition was well curated, cohesive and so enjoyable we visited twice. I reveled in the chance to buy some books for my collection. I would have loved to have taken home the large 'Female Torso' in polished Aluminum, but alas my lottery numbers are as illusive as ever.

Giger, Forever.

 

HR Giger Museum: An Artistic Pilgrimage

For the past eight years I have been planning an artistic pilgrimage to the museum of my favourite artist, Hans Ruedi Giger. Giger has been an inspiration and hero to me virtually my entire life, and since the age of 16 I have been desperate to visit Château St. Germain in Gruyères, which houses some of Giger's most prolific pieces of artwork and sculpture.
After so many years of waiting, hoping and planning, the fact that the moment had arrived at last seemed utterly unbelievable.

We arrived in Gruyères early evening, after a long, tiresome drive from Southern France.
We were greeted by a tiny picturesque town, perched atop a rocky hill. Its cobbled streets and ancient buildings looked as though they were straight out of a movie set, and with little noise other than the gurgling of the public water troughs and the faint clinking of cow bells, the slower pace here was welcome after suffering the manic bustle of the Swiss Motorways.

On first exploration of the town we stumbled upon the Giger Museum and Bar almost immediately, as sculptures reared their heads suddenly through a large arch, we were there. I had made it. At last.
We enjoyed some much needed refreshment, in the form of a few beers in the Giger bar, as I marveled at the staggering reality and magnificence of the place, desperate to study every tiny detail, and attempting to absorb the fact that I was really in Gruyères.

The next morning after a breakfast consisting of mostly cheese and salami, it was up to the Museum to wait for the doors to open. With early pieces lining the staircase from reception to main museum, and another 'Baby Wall' similar to that on display in the bar, the museum eased you in gently, allowing excitement at what awaited to build. Once inside there was such a wealth of things to see it would have been easy to feel overwhelmed. Entire rooms dedicated to Giger's work on movies such as Alien and Species had everything from original sketches and conceptual ideas, to vast pieces of artwork, as well as film props, models, sculptures ... even a room to sit and watch the entire Alien film, surrounded by artwork.

The museum leads you through a labyrinth of rooms, mostly themed by subject matter or a particular series of paintings. The scale of some of the pieces is incomprehensible when viewing them in a book, in particular the 'Spell' series. These were in their own room and covered entire walls floor to ceiling they are so vast. 'The Spell IV' in particular was utterly breath-taking and left me speechless. I cant even begin to guess how long I stood staring at the piece and every minute detail. Giger's use of layers and depth is truly fascinating and unlike anything Ive ever seen before, something which can only truly be appreciated in the flesh.
As well as a wealth of Giger originals, the museum also houses Giger's personal art collection, which was an interesting insight into the art that Giger enjoyed and was inspired by. Many pieces are familiar from the books 'www HR Giger com', and the Taschen Icons book 'HR Giger', with some wonderful Ernst Fuchs pieces on display.

Artwork from every phase in Giger's life can be seen within the museum from early pen and ink works and oil paintings, to air brush works growing in complexity, sculptures, jewelry and furniture. For any Giger fan, or lover of surrealist art, the museum is a haven, where beauty and the beast are one and the same. The unabashed, unapologetic presentation of the grotesque, horrific, bizarre and erotic is refreshingly honest, I adored it. The museum was everything I ever dreamed it would be, and more. I certainly wont be waiting another eight years before I return to the incredible, beautiful museum of my hero, Hans Ruedi Giger.