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Tom Phillips, The Golden Section. After Raphael, 1972-2004
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Tom
Phillips died 28 November 2022
Tom Phillips’
lasting monument will be A Humument, his brilliant re-working of a forgotten Victorian
novel, a project which pre-occupied him, on and off, for half a century.
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Tom Phillips, A Humument, p1, first version |
As
recounted on his website, “In 1966 Phillips resolved to dedicate himself
to making art out of the first second-hand book he could find for threepence on
Peckham Rye.” This turned out to be A Human Document by W.H. Mallock, published
in 1892. Phillips reworked every page with collage, cut-up and paint; much of
the text was obscured with just selected words or part-words remaining to create
an entirely new (illustrated) narrative; the title – A Humement derives from A
Human Document and the hero, Bill Toge appears where the original
text features 'together' or 'altogether'. It’s such a
brilliant and productive idea, and in Phillips’ hands beautifully executed.
In addition to his long-term commitment to A Humument Phillips
was a tirelessly productive painter, translator and illustrator (Dante’s
Inferno) and composer. In 1969 Phillips collaborated on an opera, Irma, with Fred
Orton and Gavin Bryars which was recorded and produced by Phillips’ former
student Brian Eno. However, the outcome was not entirely happy – Phillips is
quoted as saying "Irma was an absolute fucking disaster…”.*
A painting by Phillips is the cover for Eno’s Another Green
World.
At least one of Phillips’ long-term projects should continue
into the future: 20 sites n years. Beginning in 1973 he has photographed 20
South London sites ‘on or around the same day each year’. Others will continue the
project.
Read an obituary by Charles Darwent in The Guardian.
Source: Wikipedia, referenced to Sheppard, David (2008) On
Some Faraway Beach: The Life and Times of Brian Eno, pp261-3
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Tom Phillips, A Humument, p4, first version |
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Tom Phillips, A Humument, p48, first version |
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Tom Phillips, A Humument, p334, second version |
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Tom Phillips, South London Dreaming 2006
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Tom Phillips, Another Green World, 1975
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Tom Phillips, Das Lied von der Erde, 2009 |
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Tom Phillips, The Composers: Satie, 1973-97
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