Phill Niblock

 
One of the most important multimedia artists of his generation, American minimalist composer, filmmaker and video artist Phill Niblock (1933-2024) has produced a multidisciplinary work. His "Intermedia Art" features a combination of minimalist music, conceptual art, structural cinema, systematic or even political art, and has actively contributed to transform our perception and experience of time.
Admittedly one of the greatest experimental composers of our time, Phill Niblock initiated his career as a photographer and film director. A jazz passionate, he moved to New York in 1958 where he started photography In the mid-1960s, specializing in portraits of jazz musicians (Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, Billy Strayhorn...). In the middle of the 1960s, he made his first films for the dancers and choreographers of the Judson Church Theater. From 1968 on, Phill Niblock focused on music and composed his first pieces, which, according to the artist, should be listened to at loud volume in order to explore their overtones. He pursued his film projects independently with The Movement of People Working, a series of films lasting over 25 hours, made between 1973 and 1991, in which the repetitive nature of work movements acts as a direct echo to his musical compositions.
Since the mid-1960s, his analogue photographic work has explored New York's architecture and urban planning. The sequencing and layout of his images offer a mapping of the location and object photographed, such as the areas in South Bronx (1979) fallen into disuse or the facades of SoHo Broadway district (1988). Phill Niblock was particularly interested in the screening of moving images—films and slideshows. Produced between 1966 and 1969, Six Films, a series of short films with sound realized with 16mm film, heralds his experimental method through portraits of artists and musicians such as Sun Ra and Max Neuhaus.
In 1968, the artist started experimenting a combination of his visual productions with his musical scores in order to create sound architectural and environmental compositions. Recreated by the artist for the first time since its last presentation in 1972 for the purpose of this exhibition, the Environments series extracts the reality of different surroundings through images, all the while generating a dense and intense temporary environment of projected images, music and movements throughout the museum space.
Phill Niblock was the director of Experimental Intermedia, a foundation born in the flames of 1968's barricade-hopping.

(external link : www.phillniblock.com)
 
Phill Niblock - Boston III / Tenor / Index (vinyl LP)
2024
Alga Marghen
forthcoming
Some of the earliest works by American composer Phill Niblock, including three never before released pieces: "Index" (1969), "Tenor," and "Boston III" (both from 1972). Until now, it's been impossible to encounter Niblock's compositions from earlier than the 1960s, a reality thankfully rectified by the long overdue publication of this LP on Alga Marghen.
Phill Niblock - Rhymes With Water (vinyl LP)
2024
God Records
forthcoming
Two monumental pieces for flutes and additional voices.
Phill Niblock - Nurturing Exhibitions (book + 2 CD)
2023
English edition
Matière Mémoire
An exhibitions book including 2 CDs with new pieces by Phill Niblock performed By Stephen O'Malley, Deborah Walker, Kasper Toeplitz, Franck Vigroux, David Maranha and many others.
Phill Niblock - Exploratory - Vol. 1 + 2 (CD)
2021
Matière Mémoire
The new magistral piece from Phill Niblock, played by the Arditti String Quartet, David Watson and the Phoenix Ensemble Basel.
Phill Niblock - Exploratory - Vol. 1 (vinyl LP)
2021
Matière Mémoire
The new magistral piece from Phill Niblock, played by the Arditti String Quartet & David Watson.
Phill Niblock - Exploratory - Vol. 2 (vinyl LP)
2021
Matière Mémoire
The new magistral piece from Phill Niblock, played by the Phoenix Ensemble Basel.
Phill Niblock - Opening Performance Orchestra plays Phill Niblock - Four Walls Full Of Sound (CD)
2021
Sub Rosa
sold out
An electronic interpretation of the works of Phill Niblock by the Prague-based group Opening Performance Orchestra.
Phill Niblock - MMXX-12 - Browner (vinyl LP)
2021
Matière Mémoire
A piece made with materials from four artists (Arne Deforce and Deborah Walker, cello; Erik Drescher, flute; Dafne Vicent Sandoval, bassoon), recorded in Marcus Schmickler's studio in Koln, with a Brauner microphone.
Phill Niblock - BestiaIRE (vinyl LP)
2020
Matière Mémoire
A piece composed by Phill Niblock, performed live by Ensemble IRE trio: Kasper T. Toeplitz (ebass), Franck Vigroux (eguitar), Hélène Breschand (e harp) on side A / a piece composed and performed by Kasper T.Toeplitz (ebass) and Franck Vigroux (guitar, electronics) on side B.
Phill Niblock - Music for Organ (vinyl LP)
2020
Matière Mémoire
sold out
First time release of these live-recordings by Phill Niblock from 2007 and 2019 (organ, played by Hampus Lindwall, and tapes).
Phill Niblock - Music for Organ (CD)
2020
Matière Mémoire
currently out of stock
First time release of these live-recordings by Phill Niblock from 2007 and 2019 (organ, played by Hampus Lindwall, and tapes).
Phill Niblock - T H I R (DVD)
2015
Matière Mémoire
currently out of stock
A milestone film from American composer and filmmaker Phill Niblock, presented for the first time in DVD with two alternate soundtracks, T H I R is a mesmerizing and hypnotic film from his Environments series shot in upstate New York in 1972. This film is one of Niblock's finest and undiscovered jewels—a must have classic release.
Phill Niblock - Working Title (+ DVDs)
2013
bilingual edition (English / French)
Les presses du réel – Music & Sound Arts – Ohcetecho (sound arts)
Frac Franche-Comté - Monographs & catalogues
An overview of American minimalist composer, filmmaker and video artist Phill Niblock's work since the 60's, through about twenty essays and interviews by musicologists, art critics and historians, various documents, scores, and more than 8 hours of videos on DVDs.


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