H.R. Giger: Debbie Harry Metamorphosis: Creating the Visual Concept for KooKoo

Description

When the visual artist H.R. Giger, best known for his biomechanical creature and set design for seminal 1979 sci-fi-horror film Alien, encountered Debbie Harry, the punk icon and lead singer of globally successful New Wave band Blondie, the results were sublime. With photographs and words by Chris Stein, Harry's long-term collaborator, artefacts and sketches from the Giger archive, and an introduction by Debbie Harry, this is an essential behind-the-scenes insight into the processes of an incredible creative partnership. The cover art for the album was created by Swiss artist H.R. Giger, known for his design work on the 1979 sci-fi/horror film Alien. Based on a photograph of Harry taken by the renowned photographer Brian Aris, Giger created several variations of the cover (another of which is seen on the album's inner sleeve) in what Harry described as a combination of punk, acupuncture and sci-fi.

Chris Stein is the co-founder, songwriter and guitarist of the iconic punk band and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Blondie. He has also collaborated with artists including Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, William Burroughs and Devo. His photographs have been exhibited around the world, and collected in two books, Negative: Me, Blondie, and the Advent of Punk and Point of View: Me, New York City, and the Punk Scene. Debbie Harry, an American singer, songwriter, and actress, is the lead vocalist and co-founder of the phenomenally successful band Blondie. In 1981, Harry released KooKoo, the first of many solo albums, and also embarked on her acting career. She now has over 30 film and television roles to her credit, including Union City (1980), Videodrome (1983), Hairspray (1988), Body Bags (1993), and Heav" (1995).