H.R. Giger.
It's a legendary name, and I hope well-known to most of you. Yes, The master mind behind original Alien, and creator of many, many paintings, sculptures & drawings.
It is hard for me to separate the story of the Artist from review for the museum - especially considering that he designed both museum & adjacent Giger bar himself, but I will just try...
First of all, Gruyères is a beautiful town, sitting at the base of snow-capped Alps. It is tiny, with few small streets, numerous cafes, museums, castles & incredibly picturesque views on every turn. It is quiet, and great for a day trip.
Museum itself is set in old Château Saint Germain. His most famous statues stare at you at the entrance, and once you walk past the store, you are in his unique, dark and beautiful world.
Rooms are set in black, floor etched with fluid mechanical patterns, and artwork is covering whole walls of the rooms.
It always amazes me how much more powerful it is to see full scale art compared to book or reproductions. Nothing compares. It takes over your mind & soul, twists around you, like a haze of dark fog before sunrise.
It's incredible. It's a must see in person. It's "must visit" kinda place.
Besides paintings & drawings, there are many sculptures and his famous tableset with chairs, there is whole room dedicated to Alien, and movie room with documentaries.
Once you make your way around all that, and out to courtyard, do not leave just yet - walk across the street and get a drink at the Giger Bar.
The spine of bones rises above you like a cathedral ceiling, those tall chairs and bone-frames windows, and the wall of freakish babies - it's one of the kind experience.
Oh, and order few more rounds, stay a while - trust me on this, it will sink deeper into your mind.
If you want experience of lifetime - make this trip. See it for yourself. read more