Saturday, February 20
7pm CT
Streaming on Twitch
FREE, suggested donation
This special Archive Dive Broadcast features an exclusive interview with Phill Niblock, as well as a screening of a new 2k transfer of six of his early films, including “The Magic Sun.”
Over the course of Fall/Winter 2020, Archives Manager Matt Mehlan began transferring and researching a box of materials from the Sun Ra/El Saturn Collection labelled "Miscellaneous Film Stuff." In this box, he found an 8mm film, 2 VHS tapes, a stack of 35mm slide film positives, and two 16mm film reels, one of which featured the handwritten title “Shadow World.”
After transferring the reel and doing some research, Mehlan discovered that “Shadow World” is actually one of only three copies (in the world, according to the filmmaker) of Phill Niblock's film "The Magic Sun". Made in 1966, when Sun Ra and the Arkestra were based in NYC, the film was shot by Phill on a special negative film stock in Sun Ra's East Village apartment.
Mehlan spoke to Phill over Zoom in Fall 2020 about how the film came to be, how he first met Sun Ra, about making live film visuals for the Arkestra at Slug's, and his work in general as a (legendary) composer, filmmaker, photographer, and concert presenter, who at 87 years young is busier than ever.
This broadcast will also feature others goodies from this box of Sun Ra "Film Stuff" - but you have to tune in to find out what!
About the Creative Audio Archive at ESS:
The Creative Audio Archive (CAA) at Experimental Sound Studio is a Chicago based center for the preservation and investigation of innovative and experimental sonic arts and music. With collections from Sun Ra / El Saturn, Links Hall, Malachi Ritscher, Studio Henry, and Experimental Sound Studio (its parent organization), among others - CAA was formed for the historical preservation of recordings, print, and visual ephemera related to avant-garde and exploratory sound and music.
The CAA's public programming works to fulfill its mission of stewardship, preservation, and accessibility through live events, artist commissions and residencies, and research fellowships.