H.R. Giger has died

Swiss surrealist artist H.R. Giger, the father of the biomechanical style has died, his museum said on Tuesday. He was 74.

Giger, who was born Hans Rudolf in the eastern Swiss town of Chur in 1940, died on Monday in Zurich from injuries he obtained after suffering a fall, an employee of the H.R. Giger Museum said, confirming reports in Swiss media.

Famous for creating the otherworldly creature in Ridley Scott's 1979 horror film "Alien", Giger was awarded an Oscar for Best Achievement in Visual Effects in 1980.

His work explored the relationship between the human body and the machine, and he created surrealist images of humans fused with industrial parts, a style he described as "biomechanical".

Giger and his artwork are and continue to be an inspiration to tattooers across the globe, including greats like Eddie Deutsche, Greg Kulz, Aaron Cain, Marcus Pacheco, Guy Aitchison and Paul Booth who in turn have inspired countless artists themselves.

H.R. Giger portrait tattoo by by Bob Tyrrell