Ben Patterson
An early member of George Maciunas\' art group Fluxus. Patterson was one of the members with prior musical training, his instrument being the double bass, and probably the only black member of Fluxus. He was an important performer in early Fluxus concerts, and has written many performance and musical pieces. However, it was not until the 21st century when recordings of his music have slowly started to appear.
An early member of George Maciunas\' art group Fluxus. Patterson was one of the members with prior musical training, his instrument being the double bass, and probably the only black member of Fluxus. He was an important performer in early Fluxus concerts, and has written many performance and musical pieces. However, it was not until the 21st century when recordings of his music have slowly started to appear.
Music For The Williamson Tunnels (A Collection Of The Sound Of Dripping Water)
Music For The Williamson Tunnels: A Collection Of The Sound Of Dripping Water As Brian Eno made music for environments rather than from them (Music For Airports) these CDs are best listened to within the strange damp world of the Williamson Tunnels in Liverpool. The ceilings of these caverns are thin and the sound of dripping water can frequently be heard, but not necessarily seen. It is a sound that has intrigued artists for nigh on a century and this collection brings together historical piece…
Methods & Processes
**12 pages, leporello, offset, 27 x 126 cm (unfolded) ** The reprint of the publication pioneer in the artistic experimentations of the 1960s, published by the artist in 1962. incinPerforming and visual artist Ben Patterson (born 1934) was a founding member of Fluxus' participatory, do-it-yourself, anticommercialist avant-garde network. While many Fluxus artists, influenced by John Cage's precedent, employed conceptual techniques borrowed from music (e.g., the event score), Patterson's fusion of…
The Lost Tape & The Three Required Musics
Edition of 300. When future Fluxus artist Ben Patterson (1934–2016) traveled to Germany in 1960 in order to study with Karlheinz Stockhausen, he brought along a tape piece that he had produced in Hugh Le Caine's electronic studio in Canada and that he wanted to show to Stockhausen. They met briefly in the context of the World Music Days of the International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM) in Cologne, but Patterson immediately sensed that their aesthetic ambitions and viewpoints differed to…
Born in the state of FLUX/us
Restocked, reduced price Performing and visual artist Ben Patterson (born 1934) was a founding member of Fluxus' participatory, do-it-yourself, anticommercialist avant-garde network. While many Fluxus artists, influenced by John Cage's precedent, employed conceptual techniques borrowed from music (e.g., the event score), Patterson's fusion of art and music was informed by his background as a classically trained double-bassist. His "Variations for Double Bass" (1960), for example, was played with…
A Fluxus Elegy
One-sided LP in an edition of 345 copies. "The new Ben Patterson piece, issued on Alga Marghen's VocSon series, is based on the basic principles of the polyphonic music of the Bantu tribes of West and Central Africa. First principle: the practice of interlocking individual pitches or tones performed by one person into spaces between other pitches or tones performed by another person, thus alternating pitches or tones of one part with those of another part to create a whole. Second principle: use…
Early Works
2002 release. Alga Marghen proudly presents the first record ever produced by Ben Patterson: "This is not only my first CD, but also the first recordings of these works available to the general public." Starting as a virtuoso double-bass performer of classical music, Ben Patterson was one of the very first founders of the Fluxus Group in Wiesban. This digipak CD will introduce you to some American neo-avant garde music classics, a crossover between John Cage's exploding influences and the experi…
Liverpool soundworks vol.2
"'Surveying Western Philosophy using China Tools' (33'45"): Western philosophy is thought to have begun along the Ionian coast of Asia Minor in the sixth century B.C. Chinese astrology is thought to have begun in China in the thirtieth century B.C. Would a survey using the tools of an ancient Chinese imperial science give us new and fresh reading of Western philosophy? The year in which a person was born is of singular importance in Chinese astrology as each year is governed by an animal sign. I…
Liverpool soundworks vol.1
2 limited edition CDs on Fluxus artist Ben Patterson's own label, distributed by Alga Marghen. "'The Liverpool Song Lines' (22'57"): for many year Ben Patterson has been fascinated by the so-called 'song lines' of the Australian Aborigine. Musically, these songs for solo voice, sometimes accompanied by 'beating-sticks,' are not especially stirring for Western ears. Rather, for the artist, it is the concept underlying the text which is remarkable. These songs describe flora, fauna and places whic…