Sculpture at the entrance of the H.R. Giger Museum, Gruyères, Switzerland.

In 1980, surrealist H.R. Giger, a Swiss artist, won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects for his participation in the film "Alien".

This sculpture, "Birth Machine" stands at the entrance of a museum named for him in the medieval town of Gruyères.


(Typifying the treatment given to sculptures everywhere, it is partly obscured by public benches.)

The museum is located in St-Germain castle, in the centre of the old town and the setting stands as an odd contrast to the work on display. Here you will find the world's largest existing collection of Giger's paintings, sculptures, furnishings, and film sets.

A brief introduction to the artist follows: