H.R. Giger Tribute Art Exhibit + Joe Vaux’s “Escape Pod”

Copro Gallery in Santa Monica has unveiled its latest exhibitions: “Brain Salad Surgery,” a H.R. Giger tribute group art exhibit, and Joe Vaux’s solo show, “Escape Pod.” I attended opening night, and it was incredible to see so many stunning pieces in person.

The Giger exhibit was in the gallery’s main showroom, and stepping inside was like being transported to an ethereal realm. On every wall hung paintings featuring unearthly beings existing in worlds beyond the human imagination. Several talented artists contributed works, including Chet Zar, Lizz Lopez, Dos Diablos, Stephanie Inagaki and many others. How does one take in such an abundance of dark creations? My senses were pleasantly overwhelmed and overtaken.

Zar’s work, “The Divine Feminine,” was an impressive illustration of a Lilith-like alien figure with pierced palms that bled onto the surface beneath her, forming a crimson river. She was set amid a biomechanical background that is definitely a nod to Giger, but the features of the creature retained Chet’s signature style. David Stoupakis was another artist who tapped into the fierce female energy with his piece, “Banished.” The subject donned a veiled, horned head piece and metallic claw rings on every finger. Shades of black and gray dominated the painting, except for the icy blue eyes peering at you through the shroud.

Lizz Lopez, aka One More Fix, focused on a single part of the anatomy—the hand. This is characteristic of Lopez’s work. She frequently depicts hands, typically her own, bearing razor-sharp nails or dressed provocatively in black gloves. As I studied her drawing, “Transdimensional Reach,” I imagined the body part belonging to a flesh and machine hybrid attempting to make contact with anyone close enough to touch.

Giger himself also made an appearance in a few of the artworks, most notably in Michael Pucciarelli’s “GigerLand.” There was a myriad of elements going on in the piece and the longer I stared, the more I discovered. There were skulls, aliens and mechanical babies encircling Giger’s visage; he was engulfed by his own creations. The image highlighted the fine line between the art and the artist and the phenomenon of the maker become their own design.

Also featured in the exhibit were a few sculptures and statues that looked like they were plucked straight from the Alien movie set. They were quite detailed and impressive. Plus, the massive HR Giger tome by publisher Taschen was on display. Only 1,000 copies have been made of the larger version of the book, which is 400 pages long, weighs a whopping 30 pounds and goes for $1,250. I could have stood there for hours perusing the pages.

Although the pieces were conceived by different artists, they were united by an extraterrestrial thread and highlighted how H.R. Giger continues to inspire countless creators.

The second gallery space hosted Joe Vaux’s solo exhibition “Escape Pod.” If his name looks familiar, it’s because he’s the animation director of the popular TV series Family Guy. The vibrant works in this area were an interesting contrast to the those in the Giger exhibit, yet both invited spectators into otherworldly realms.

Vaux produced a dozen all-new pieces for the show, each encompassing elements of sci-fi and pop surrealism. The mysterious depths of the ocean and monstrous sea creatures were explored in many of the paintings, such as “MobileHome,” “How About Them Apples” and “To Boldly Go.” Whereas “Greener Grass” and “Selfie” showcased delightfully creepy animals on land. The exhibit’s namesake piece, “Escape Pod,” featured flying ships and saucers, as well as the parted sea engulfed in flames amid a whirlwind of madness. Despite the chaos happening, I couldn’t help but smile at the hints of humor. Altogether, Vaux’s pieces were a devious and playful serving of surf and turf fine art, and I mean that in the best way possible.

The H.R. Giger “Brain Salad Surgery” tribute group art show and Joe Vaux’s solo exhibition will be up through April 1st, and admission to Copro Gallery is free.

Where To Stalk

Copro Gallery

Joe Vaux official website