{"id":41147,"date":"2023-12-20T16:47:38","date_gmt":"2023-12-20T15:47:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.feelnopain.it\/?p=41147"},"modified":"2023-12-20T16:52:39","modified_gmt":"2023-12-20T15:52:39","slug":"alien-or-xenomorph-history-meanings-and-symbols","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.feelnopain.it\/en\/blog\/alien-or-xenomorph-history-meanings-and-symbols\/","title":{"rendered":"ALIEN OR XENOMORPH: HISTORY, MEANINGS AND SYMBOLS"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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What is the Alien, or Xenomorph? Let\u2019s find out its story, the meanings and symbols of the scariest predator in the universe.<\/p>\n

Anyone who has seen or is familiar with the movie Alien<\/b> knows what we are talking about: the alien monster antagonist of Ridley Scott’s saga hides many curiosities and deep meanings that we will explore in this article.<\/p>\n

We will retrace its historical and creative origins, and discover how its unique physicality has influenced popular culture and inspired our jewelry, along with many interesting facts you may not yet know. Did you know that the Alien also has Italian origins?<\/p>\n

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Alien: what is the xenomorph?<\/h2>\n
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The Xenomorph is a monster of alien origin, the antagonist of the most famous sci-horror film saga ever<\/strong>: Alien.<\/p>\n

It is an imaginary creature, conceived by Swiss artist Hans Ruedi Giger<\/strong>, first brought to the screen by Carlo Rimbaldi and Ridley Scott in 1979, but since then has changed the perception of infinite and dark space.<\/p>\n

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Hans Ruedi\u2019s dreams were absolutely
crucial to his work.<\/h3>\n

Carmen Giger<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The name of this creature has Greek origins: \u03be\u03ad\u03bd\u03bf\u03c2, xenos and \u03bc\u03bf\u03c1\u03c6\u03ae, morph\u0113, or “foreign form”, however this creature is also known by the name A<\/b>lien.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The xenomorph is distinguished by a physical structure that has made it iconic: the massive and anthropomorphic body, an elongated skull, the absence of eyes, huge jaws, a long tail covered with thorns and a shell similar to an exoskeleton.<\/p>\n

But what makes this creature different from any other alien character or sci-fi antagonist is its ability to defend itself and attack without resorting to the use of advanced technological weapons, but only by using its formidable predatory skills, strength and intelligence to eliminate the enemy. What makes the Xenomorph a perfect hunter is its ability to adapt quickly to any environment.<\/p>\n

The physical strength and ingenuity that characterize this monster have had various interpretations<\/strong> over time, which can be elaborate on here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Depiction of the first model of Alien at exhibition \"HR Giger & Mire Lee\" at Schinkel Pavillon, Art Gallery in Berlin, Germany Photo Credits: Hossam el-Hamalawy - Xenomorph, CC BY 2.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=127182666<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The story of Alien: what is the origin of the xenomorph?<\/h2>\n

The origin of the xenomorph, which first appeared on screens in 1979, has been shrouded in mystery for a long time.<\/p>\n

The first chapter of the saga tells the story of the spaceship Nostromo, returning to Earth. Along the way, an SOS signal from an unknown planet is intercepted, so mission participants are awakened from hypersleep in order to verify the signal’s origin.<\/p>\n

During reconnaissance, the crew comes across an alien spaceship filled with egg-like objects. One of these opens and infects the members of the team, who once back in the Nostromo, must escape from a scary extraterrestrial monster born from the body of the deputy captain: the xenomorph, a highly aggressive and deadly organism.<\/p>\n

From this moment, the hunt for the monster turns into a labyrinthine chase through the spaceship’s increasingly dark and claustrophobic corridors. A perfect representation of man’s primal fears<\/strong>: the unknown hiding in space, darkness, lack of safe spaces, extreme violence and death. The alien hides in the most remote places of the universe and makes us think of all that is unknown and uncontrollable.<\/p>\n

The origin of the Xenomorph<\/strong> is only deepened in the last chapter of the saga, in which its genesis is explained. In the story, the xenomorph<\/strong> is an entity designed as a perfect weapon<\/strong>, devised by a technologically highly advanced alien race for the purpose of overpowering and eliminating any life form considered “not perfect.”<\/p>\n

A figment of Swiss artist Hans Ruedi Giger’s imagination<\/strong>, the Alien is characterized by his “biomechanical” appearance: his armor is the result of hybridization between metal and flesh and gives him unique physical characteristics that have made him a pop culture icon.<\/p>\n

The very design of this armor was a great inspiration for our jewelry in the Xeno collection.<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Photo Credits: Mobin Dindar - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=93436391<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Who created the Alien monster: Hans Ruedi Giger<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Hans Ruedi Giger - Photo Credits: Kedar Misani - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
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As we have seen, the appearance<\/strong> of the xenomorph monster was devised by<\/b> Swiss artist Hans Ruedi Giger<\/strong>, author of the lithographic book Necronomicon and the painting Necronom IV, which became the basis for defining the appearance of the alien creature.<\/p>\n

Hans Ruedi Giger was a Swiss painter, designer and sculptor, an artist in the field of set design and film special effects.<\/p>\n

His gothic art was influenced by his pharmacist father and his mother who encouraged him to attend art school. Through the expertise he acquired over years of work as a designer and studio, Giger developed a unique, often eerie but always fascinating bichromatic style.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Among his most famous works are the “biomechanoids,” futuristic creatures in which metal and flesh come together in surprising ways.<\/p>\n

Giger’s contribution to the design of Alien<\/strong> is due to screenwriter Dan O’Bannon, with whom he came in contact while both were involved in Alejandro Jodorowsky’s film adaptation of Dune, which was never made.<\/p>\n

Giger showed his drawings to O’Bannon, who was impressed enough to suggest to Ridley Scott that Giger be commissioned to draw the monstrous creature in the film.<\/p>\n

\"Virgolette<\/figure>\n
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Inside of a book called Necronomicon,
there was the alien. ‘It’s designed. This is it.’<\/h3>\n

Ridley Scott<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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And under the pen of H.R. Giger took shape the terrible xenomorph<\/strong>, the frightening facehugger<\/strong> and of thecreepy “Space Jockey.”<\/strong><\/p>\n

Together with Italian Carlo Rimbaldi, Giger built the iconic image of the perfect, unstoppable predator<\/strong> – a project that earned them both an Academy Award for best special effects.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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What is the significance of the xenomorph in Alien?<\/h2>\n

It is difficult to give an unambiguous meaning<\/strong> to Alien’s xenomorph<\/strong>. Different interpretations have been given over the years, some very creative, some particularly disturbing.<\/p>\n

The most credited symbolic reading<\/strong> attributed to the xenomorph concerns its dark nature as the perfect predator<\/strong>: a silent menace, embodying the mystery of dark space and the unknown, which is able to adapt to any situation<\/strong> in order to achieve its goal.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Xeno Feel No Pain Jewels Collection<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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This interpretation has a Darwinist matrix<\/strong>, in which species adaptation is extreme in an eternal struggle for survival. The Alien does not need weapons to defend himself, but is equipped only with his strategic intelligence.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Another element associated with xenomorph is darkness: the alien is a creature that uses darkness to hide and attack. It embodies man’s primal fear of the unknown, the peril and threat that lurks in cosmic darkness.
But man is a curious being, always exploring: that is why everything unknown becomes such a source of interest<\/strong> that he faces every risk and every fear.<\/p>\n

In Feel No Pain we embraced these interpretations by developing a jewelry collection<\/b><\/a> inspired by Giger’s gothic and elaborate style<\/strong>, in homage to his most famous creature.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Feel No Pain’s Xeno Collection<\/h2>\n

H.R. Giger has always characterized his art with gothic and macabre features<\/strong>, inspired by artists such as Dali and Miodrag \u0110uri\u0107 (Dado). His aesthetic influence<\/strong> is found in various areas of pop culture:<\/strong> from rock album covers to science fiction and horror fiction, with references used in many video games.<\/p>\n

In Feel No Pain, we took inspiration from his bizarre and dark style to create a jewelry collection<\/b><\/a> based on his most famous character: the xenomorph.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rings and pendants richly detailed with reliefs and the chiaroscuro, characteristic of Feel No Pain’s style. A balance of contrasts given by the burnishing of alien details that recall the fearsome physicality of this unstoppable predator, enhancing its mechanical forms.<\/p>\n

Discover the Xeno Collection.<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The message these jewels convey is powerful: darkness may conceal threats, but knowing how to adapt to<\/strong> any situation makes one strong and invincible<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

A collection dedicated to an iconic pop culture creature, loved and feared by many. <\/p>\n

Discover the jewelry  in the collection<\/b><\/a><\/u><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What is the Alien, or Xenomorph? Let\u2019s find out its story, the meanings and symbols of the scariest predator in the universe. Anyone who has seen or is familiar with the movie Alien knows what we are talking about: the alien monster antagonist of Ridley Scott’s saga hides many curiosities and deep meanings that we […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":882,"featured_media":41140,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[807],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41147","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-non-categorizzato"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.feelnopain.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41147","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.feelnopain.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.feelnopain.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.feelnopain.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/882"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.feelnopain.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41147"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.feelnopain.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41147\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.feelnopain.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41140"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.feelnopain.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41147"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.feelnopain.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41147"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.feelnopain.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41147"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}