The auction contains three lots related to the late Swiss surrealist designer H.R. Giger (1940-2014), a frequent contributor to OMNI, whose recent passing leaves a void in the science-fiction art community.
Giger’s unique fusion of realistic human bodies and surrealistic machines – a combination he called “Biomechanic” – has been fueling the look and feel of nightmares for decades. Giger suffered from night terrors his entire life. He would often wake up locked in hallucinations and nightmarish visions.
The second issue of OMNI magazine in 1978 featured Giger’s first Li painting. The model for the painting, Li Tobler, Giger’s life partner, had committed suicide three years earlier. Included in the Giger lots are a signed lithograph of this painting and the advance copy of the OMNI magazine issue it ran in, as well as Polaroid pictures taken by Giger or his staff.
Guccione and Giger had a spiritual connection. It was also rumored that Giger was a fan of Guccione’s cult classic film, Caligula. Included in the auction are a number of original concept art pieces from Caligula.
Giger had made a sexualized exoskeleton bodysuit for a photo shoot that is believed to have never taken place. Guccione believed Giger uniquely blended science fiction and eroticism, believing that science and sex are inextricably linked. The Polaroid pictures taken by Giger and his studio are included in the auction as well.
Also included from the Corporate Collectables collection are original photographs signed by creative and seasoned lens man Dana Duke, as well as a fascinating original drawing by Laszlo Kubinyi, whose eclectic talent ranges from the American Girls Doll paintings to an exploration of laparoscopic surgical procedures illustrated for the corporate giant U.S. Surgical company literature.
From the nightmarish child zombie world are two original sketches from designer Luke Vaan Horne with the popular original limited-edition toys they inspired. His peer, Rob Pryor, has signed a few posters as well.
There are a number of pieces from the 20th century impressionist Ann Sklarin. Born in 1933, her works have shown extensively and won numerous prizes. She has been reviewed many times in the New York Times, Newsday, and other prominent publications and has paintings in many private collections.
The collection of Guccione original sketches that had hung at the old Ambassador Gallery in New York and the Nassau County Museum.
Assorted other art will be in the auction, from an original George Schwacha to a signed Rubin lithograph as well as engravings by Francis Wheatley and a painting by Jean Claude Farhi. With numerous other additions, all from the Filthy Gorgeous Art private collection, an auction of diverse pieces with realistic prices has been assembled for the May 31 event.
All prices on items in this auction have no reserve, and starting bids are deeply discounted, opening as low as $1 on some pieces.
View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.
ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE
