Six musical compositions by Phill Niblock, soil and cutting tree of Amanatsu orange from Masanobu Fukuoka Natural Farm, wooden pedestals, speakers, wooden benches, wooden planter, acrylic case, water, sunlight. An exhibition by Mathieu Copeland.

Nurturing Exhibitions was one of two concomitant exhibitions that formed Exhibition Cuttings at Le Forum / Fondation Hermès in Tokyo, Japan between April 23rd (Fri.) and July 18th (Sun.) 2021, a time of closed borders when lives were mainly mediated through screens amidst various lockdowns.

A rich and fleeting ecosystem of new hybrid organisms nurtured by an environment in constant evolutionary motion, adapting in time, Nurturing Exhibitions consisted of an Amanatsu tree temporarily transplanted to the gallery space. Combined with the music of Phill Niblock that was played continuously, at times to a closed empty gallery, the photographs that compose this book portray the exhibition’s entire lifespan, from a composition being recorded to a ripe fruit being picked.

1. Herbal Cooled2 (23:07, 2019)
   Deborah Walker, cello. The tones were recorded at Marcus Schmickler’s P I E T H O P R A X I S studio in Köln Germany, with Marcus Schmickler engineering and with a Brauner microphone; the construction of the piece was done at Experimental Intermedia in NYC by Phill Niblock, using ProTools software.
   Born in 1981 in Italy. Deborah Walker is a cellist, a new music performer and improviser based in Paris.

2. Noizzze (23:05, 2020)
   Ensemble I R E – Kasper Toeplitz, electric bass; Franck Vigroux, electric guitar; Helene Breschard, harp.
   All Instruments were played acoustically, not amplified. The tones were recorded at the La Muse Studio, near Paris France; the construction of the piece was done at Experimental Intermedia in NYC by Phill Niblock, using ProTools software.
   The Paris based Ensemble IRE is founded by composers Kasper T. Toeplitz and Franck Vigroux, featuring Helene Breschand, Philippe Foch and Christophe Ruetsch.

3. Poom3 (28:02, 2020)
   Stephen O’Malley, electric guitar. The tones were recorded at the Trace.
   Elements Studio in NYC, with Robert Poss engineering; the construction of the piece was done at Experimental Intermedia in NYC by Phill Niblock, using ProTools software.
   Born in 1974 in USA. Stephen O’Malley is an American guitarist, producer, composer, and visual artist. He has conceptualized and participated in numerous drone doom, death/doom, and experimental music groups, most notably Sunn O))).

4. ExplMaranhaLisbon (23:05, 2020)
   David Maranha, 4 bowed bass, 4 bells, 6 violins, 6 glass harmonicas, 4 double cane flutes, 4 shruti boxes.
   The piece was realized by playing from a score by Phill Niblock, realized with assistance by Guy De Bievre; and recorded and mixed in David Maranha’s own studio in Lisbon.
   Born in 1969 in Portugal. David Maranha is a Portuguese avant garde musician and artist, known for his work with Osso Exotico and his collaborations with Z’ev, Stephan Mathieu, Phill Niblock, David Grubbs, and Akio Suzuki.

5. ExplVoxHumana (23:13, 2021)
   The Vox Humana Vocal Choir, Soprano: Maiko Inamura, Mikiko Kamiya; Alto: Kiyo Irisawa; Tenor: Seiji Kanazawa, Hatsugai Takashi; Bass: Eitaro Matsui; Founder and Director: Ryuta Nishikawa
   The piece was realized by singing from a score by Phill Niblock, realized with assistance by Guy De Bievre; recorded in Tokyo, Japan under the supervision of Nao Nishihara, with Miho Miura as recording engineer and mixer.
   An ensemble organized by Ryuta Nishikawa and other vocalists from Tokyo University of the Arts. Started in 1996, Vox humana has been pursuing the possiblity of new creation by human voice. Their repertoire includes the polyphony music before Renaissance and the contemporary music of the 20th century, which we can enjoy at their periodic concert.

6. Vlada BC (20:01, 2013)
   Elisabeth Smalt, viola d’amore. The tones were recorded at Marcus Schmickler’s P I E T H O P R A X I S studio in Köln Germany, with Marcus Schmickler engineering and with a Brauner microphone; the construction of the piece was done at Experimental Intermedia in NYC by Phill Niblock, using ProTools software.
   Born in 1964 in the Netherlands. Elisabeth Smalt is a viola player who works exclusively as a chamber musician, in styles varying from period instrument performance to extremely new music.