Wednesday, 30 November 2022

Tom Phillips, 1937 – 2022

Tom Phillips, The Golden Section. After Raphael, 1972-2004
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. 

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

Tom Phillips, A Humument, p4, first version

Tom Phillips, A Humument, p48, first version

Tom Phillips, A Humument, p334, second version
Tom Phillips, South London Dreaming 2006
Tom Phillips, Another Green World, 1975

Tom Phillips, Das Lied von der Erde, 2009
Tom Phillips, The Composers: Satie, 1973-97

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