H.R. Giger

H.R. Giger (1940-2014)
Dune VI
stenciled ‘HR. GIGER 76/A. JODOROWSKY’S/DUNE 6’ (lower left); signed ‘H. GIGER’ (on the reverse)
acrylic on paper on panel
27¹⁄₂ X 39³⁄₈in. (70 X 100cm.)
executed in 1976

A rare early visualisation of Jodorowsky's Dune universe.

'Dune VI' by H.R. Giger encapsulates the haunting, metallic world that Giger conceived for 'the mother of all unmade movies', Jodorowsky’s fabled Dune. Giger was selected for this project in 1974, after his catalogue of art was shown to director Alejandro Jodorowsky by Salvador Dalí who was set to play a leading role in the film. Following the prompt to illustrate the Harkonnen home planet, Giger set to work creating concept art depicting what he described as a place ‘ruled by evil […] where black magic was practiced, aggressions were let loose, and intemperance and perversion were the order of the day.’ 'Dune VI' is one of only five airbrush works completed by Giger for this project.

Giger worked with a hand-selected team of ‘spiritual warriors’ entrusted to envision a colossal, psychedelic, and wholly original universe inspired by Herbert's Dune. A portion of the team formed for this ultimately unrealised project, including Giger, Jean Giraud, Dan O'Bannon, and Chris Foss went on to help create Ridley Scott's Alien, the iconic film with which H.R. Giger would forever be associated.

Galerie Baviera, Schulze + Baltensberger, Zurich,
Private Collection (acquired from the above in 1977).
Acquired from the above by the present owner in 2001.

Giger, H.R. H.R. Giger’s Necronomicon II. Beverly Hills, 1992, p. 28 (illustrated).
Giger, H.R. HR Giger’s Film Design. Beverly Hills, 1996, p. 15 (illustrated).
M. Belz and M. Witzig, eds., Werkverzeichnis, 2007, p. 37, no. 294 (illustrated).
A. J. Hirsch, ed., Andreas J. H.R. Giger., Cologne, 2021, pp. 234, 240 (illustrated).

Zurich, Kunsthaus Zürich, Ausstellung im Foyer: H.R. Giger, 1977, pp. 7.