Swiss artist H.R. Giger (1940-2014) is best known for his creation of the space monster in the 1979 Oscar-winning futuristic horror film Alien. In retrospect, it was but one of the most celebrated expressions of Giger's biomechanical arsenal of creatures, fusing hybrids of human and machine into powerful, evocative images full of dark psychedelia.

His works were inspired by ghosts of the past, harking back to his childhood fears, while evoking mythologies for the future. These images captured the collective fantasies and fears of his time: fear of the nuclear bomb, of pollution and waste of resources, and of a future in which the survival of our bodies is dependent on machines.

From surreal dreamscapes created with a spray gun and stencils to record sleeves; from guillotine sculptures to a coffee shop he designed himself, Gigernos personally guides us through his multifaceted career in this essential introduction to this master of horror.Detailed reproductions and drawings and a foreword by Timothy Leary complement Giger's intimate autobiographical texts.