Giger, born in 1940, grew up fascinated with all things surreal and macabre, especially the imagery created by Gustav Meyrink, Jean Cocteau, Alfred Kubin and H.P. Lovecraft. His first major art book Necronomicon, published in 1977, drew the attention of director Ridley Scott who then hired him to create the titular character Alien in the 1979 sci-fi horror film Alien which won an Academy Award for visual design.

Giger's biomechanical style, characterized by nightmarish, meticulously detailed portrayals of women, creatures and extraterrestrial landscapes that are realized through various media including painting, sculpture, furniture and movie props, has enthralled millions of fans around the world.