Immanuel Wilkins

In resonance with the exhibition Minimal, the Bourse de Commerce offers a program dedicated to minimalism in music. Through a series of concerts, this program presents iconic and rare pieces of minimalist music, while exploring its rich extra-Western influences and contemporary echoes.

On October 10, American saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins will present a solo performance in dialogue with the installation by American artist Meg Webster in the museum’s Rotunda – which consists of five sculptures made from earth, twigs, salt, clay, and wax. Drawing on the history of drone and minimalist music, from La Monte Young to its contemporary resonances, Wilkins approaches this performance as a practice room: a space for meditation, prayer, and endurance. Carried by a continuous drone, the work gradually induces a trance-like state that unfolds over several hours.

Immanuel Wilkins is a saxophonist, composer, and multidisciplinary artist working at the intersection of sound, performance, and visual composition. Born in Philadelphia, he moved to New York in 2015 to study at the Juilliard School. In 2017, he founded his quartet with Micah Thomas (piano), Daryl Johns (bass), and Kweku Sumbry (drums), a formation central to his exploration of improvisation, memory, and jazz heritage. His albums Omega (2020), The 7th Hand (2022), and Blues Blood (2024, Blue Note) have been critically acclaimed and have received several awards.