FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHICH IS THE BEST PLACE TO CONTACT ?

Because of the large volume of Email we receive daily through this website our ability to respond in a timely manner has been seriously compromised. As a result, we can only guarantee to answer correspondence that relate, primarily, to the business of Mr. Giger’s art.

All interview requests and project proposals will, eventually, be answered. The addresses and telephone numbers on this site are provided to facilitate time sensitive communications and important business contacts.



IF I AM A JOURNALIST OR A STUDENT WRITING ABOUT MR. GIGER AND HIS ART, WHERE CAN I DO MY BEST RESEARCH?

The most valuable resource is Mr. Giger’s many published books. Giger has always made certain that everything he creates is well documented in them. Each successive Giger book takes up the story, more or less, where the last one left off. Since most of the texts in the books have been written by Giger, they offer an excellent insight not only into the development of his artwork but also into the evolution of his thinking and interests.

The most up-to-date information on Giger’s current projects and upcoming exhibitions is here on Giger’s official website, www.HRGiger.com and at his official museum web site www.hrgigermuseum.com. The most reliable reference and artwork Database can be found on our supplementary website www.LittleGiger.com, as well as an indispensable research tool, the steadily expanding downloadable archive of articles and interviews published over the past several decades. 

Students who are writing papers about Mr. Giger and his artwork should note that we are interested in receiving a copy of your finished work for the archives of the Giger Museum. Unfortunately, we don’t have the time to offer you much individualized assistance with your research. Although we make an effort to read and, eventually, respond to most requests, in our opinion, all information available can be found through your own diligent research.



WHAT ABOUT THE MANY OTHER INTERNET PAGES WITH INFORMATION ABOUT H. R. GIGER?

Unless you can find a link from www.HRGiger.com to those websites, most of such “tribute” pages using Giger’s name, artwork, photographs and texts are in direct violation of Giger’s copyright and in disregard of his wishes. In such cases, even though most of their content has been appropriated from Giger’s available printed works and/or authorized websites, much of their information is often inaccurate be unreliable.



IF I CAN’T FIND, IN THE WEBSTORE, SOMETHING I AM INTERESTED IN BUYING, WHAT CAN I DO?

Not everything created by Giger is offered for sale and some items are only available at the H.R. Giger Museum. Giger always produced his limited edition prints and portfolios in relatively small numbers so it is possible that a print or sculpture you may find on this site, or in one of the books, or in the Database on www.LittleGiger.com could have been sold out many years ago.


WHEN SHOULD FANS CONTACT GIGER’S AGENT?

Hardly ever. But fans being fans and not always prone to listening to reason, they will do whatever they want, regardless of the advice given here. That’s the nature of the Internet. So, if you believe you need an answer to a specific question not touched upon in this FAQ section, you can try to Email Les Barany and he will try to respond to you if he can. 

If you have already written to him and did not receive a reply, it’s most likely because he has not gotten around to opening your mail, or because your question has already been dealt with here, or was too obvious, too ridiculous, or too vague. As you can imagine, he gets a lot of Email and has an only a limited amount of time for replies, which restricts his ability to reply to everyone. 

If you will write about something that is not directly related to Giger’s artwork, don’t be surprised if you do not receive an answer. If your letter catches Les’ interest, you may hear from him, eventually, sometimes many months later. Be prepared, it may not be the answer you expected. 

Here is an example, for the enlightenment of everyone:

I'm an aspiring artist and a big fan of Mr. Giger's work, and was wondering if you could possibly give me some advice? Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated, particularly if you could guide me as to what courses you feel would be of most benefit to me.


Dear Aspiring Artist:

Here is my advice. Think of it as a five-year plan:

Take whatever courses you find the most interesting.

Study closely the work of the Old Masters.

Stop making art that originates only from your own imagination.

Stay with one technique until you perfect it.

On any given day, always be in the middle of reading a book. When you finish one, start the next. Fiction, nonfiction, biographies, autobiographies, history, science, psychology, or how to build a kite. Anything but go easy on the comic books.

Buy and read the first 6 pages of newspaper every day and also the editorial commentaries. Skip the entertainment section. Su Doku is fine. Do the crossword puzzle. 

Fill up a sketchbook every month with pen or pencil drawings of the world around you, not from your imagination.

Buy a book on figure drawing. It's the only art book you will ever need.

Until you can draw an accurate portrait of someone, you don’t know how to draw.

Stay away from the airbrush. You'll never master it, hardly anyone ever has.

Visit every museum in your city. Often, until you have seen everything in it. Every kind of museum. Not only the art museums but, of course, those as well.

Forget about contemporary art by living artists, at least for the next few years.

Stay away from most art galleries. Go to art auctions. That's where the real action is.

Learn to play chess.

Take a business course.

Talk to you mother or father at least once a week.

Stop going to the movies until you have rented and seen every film on this list. http://www.time.com/time/2005/100movies/the_complete_list.html

Do not watch television unless it’s the news or documentaries.

Do not use an Ipod.

No video games, either.

Learn a foreign language.

Learn to cook.

Spend 8 hours in a hospital emergency room.

Save up money so you can travel to a foreign country within the next five years.

Do not litter.

Avoid politically correct people.

Vote in every election or never dare to utter a political opinion. You are not entitled to one.

Buy a digital camera and take photos every day.
If you see nothing interesting to photograph, you will never be a good artist. Keep only one photo of every ten you take. Delete the rest. It will force you to learn how to edit the garbage from your life, to make choices, to recognize what has real value and what is superficial.

Visit an old age home.

Listen to classical music and jazz. If you are unable to appreciate it at least as much as contemporary music, you lack the sensitivity to develop into an artist of any real depth.

Go to the ballet. Classical or Modern, it doesn't matter. It will teach you to appreciate physical grace and the relationship between sound and movement.

Wake up every morning no later than 8 AM, regardless of what time you went to sleep.

Learn to play a musical instrument.

Learn to swim.

Keep your word.

Never explain your art. People who ask you to do so are idiots. 

Never explain yourself. Better yet, never do anything that will, later, require you to explain yourself or to say you're sorry.

Always use spell check.

Stop aspiring and start doing.

This will keep you very busy but it can't be helped.
In my opinion, this is how you might, possibly, have a shot at becoming a good artist. 

Hope this helps,

Les Barany