Work spanning sci-fi artist Chris Foss’ career to go on display

Friday 28 June 2024

Guernsey’s influence on leading science-fiction illustrator Chris Foss will be on display in the latest exhibition of his work.

Chris Foss - A Sci-Fi Journey opens in the Art for Guernsey gallery next month.

“Guernsey has always been a big influence on my art,” said Foss, who was born and is based in the island.

“I started working in Guernsey at the age of 17 and it is with great pleasure that I am able to collate this collection, which effectively covers all the significant years of my commercial life. And it is so apt that I have the opportunity to bring it back to my island through this marvellous gallery.”

Jock Pettitt, Art for Guernsey Director, said it was an exhibition quite unlike any other they had undertaken.

“Yet we find another artist talking about the qualities that Guernsey has inspired, the vibrancy of light and the inspiration afforded by the structures and landscapes,” he said.

“I find it hugely inspiring that a Guernsey-based artist has had such an illustrious career as a concept artist, informing so much of the sci-fi genre that we all know in books and films, whether we are big fans or casual observers, and it’s exciting to see ‘Guernsey’ appear so frequently in the rocks, the built structures and the ambiance of the artworks.”

Foss’ career has spanned several decades.

He has illustrated book covers by sci-fi heavyweights such as Isaac Asimov and E.E Doc Smith, and has provided design and concept work on several major films, including Dune, Alien, A.I., Superman, Flash Gordon and Guardians of the Galaxy. More recently, he has worked on the TV series Black Mirror.

This exhibition features new pieces, plus a selection of career-defining artworks and prints, alongside sketches and supporting media, many featuring inspiration from Guernsey’s landscapes.

Foss was born in Guernsey less than a year after the end of World War II, and the German fortifications made a lasting impression upon him.

A further legacy of growing up on the island is a fascination with fish and sea creatures, which can be seen in his spaceship designs. 

Other influences include western films, war photography and steam trains.

“Chris’s pedigree has seen him involved with the biggest names in the genre and that has to be admired and respected,” said Mr Pettitt.

“The artworks on show, from very early concept sketches to polished scenes depicting other worlds, are an outpouring of creativity of the highest standard. 

“We are very excited and honoured to be able to work with Chris in collating an exhibition of his career's works, from the 1970s right up to the present day, and I expect the exhibition will create strong interest for all in the community. 

“We are planning to show the films that Chris's work has inspired in the gallery on a weekly basis throughout the summer. It's going to be quite the sci-fi summer, including the children's Holiday Art Club workshops responding to his legacy and techniques. I can't wait to see it unfold.”

Chris Foss - A Sci-Fi Journey is open from Wednesday 3 July to Saturday 7 September.

The gallery is at 4-6 Mansell Street.