Phill Niblock, New York multi-media artist, has been working since the 1960s with music, film, photography, video and computers. As a contemporary of Cage and La Monte Young and inspired by artists such as Rothko, Judd and Andre, Niblock belongs to the leading representatives of American Minimal Art.
In his performances, whether they be installations lasting several days or performance, he connects different media simultaneously: His music consists of dense, static “drones” which last a long time, compiled from tones lying close to one another. The often extreme volume in Niblock’s concerts makes it possible to hear whole clouds of high-frequency harmonies, which for their part are modulated by the vibrating amplitudes and which seem to move timelessly about the room. The films shown together with the music are portraits of human work in its original, elementary form: they show people sowing, harvesting or fishing—shots which Niblock made during extended travels in his search for pure, original processes of movement.
Placing the film and music opposite each other, the one initially appears to bear no relationship to the other, but then both gradually gain mutual references on a deeper level: Film and music unfurl movement which happens only very slowly, thus creating a sense of progression and immobility at the same time.
The four half-hour works performed this evening came into being last year while staying at the CCMIX Studios in Paris as a guest artist; by the time this concert takes place, a CD version will be released by the London Label »Touch«. Also on this evening, for the first time a DVD of Niblock’s film material nearly four hours in length will be introduced, produced under the Australian »Extreme« label. The live musicians for the evening are known both as soloists and members of significant ensembles through their CD recordings. In addition they have written compositions of their own, and are international prize-holders as well.
Music: Sweet Potato, Sea Jelly Yellow, Pan Fried 27.5, Yam almost May
Video: Excerpts from the series »Movement of People Working«
Reinhold Friedl: Piano
Ulrich Krieger: Baritone Saxophone
Carol Robinson: Clarinet
Kasper Toeplitz: E-Bass (with E-bow)