When surveying the history of avant-garde and experimental music, the presence of artist-run labels - Jim O'Rourke's Moikai, Phill Niblock's XI, Lawrence English's Room40, Derek Bailey's Icus, and countless others - becomes impossible to ignore. Guided by visionary, creative ears, risk was embraced, allowing these imprints to offer their listeners incredible rewards that might have otherwise been lost. Among the most beloved of these ventures is the joint enterprise of Het Apollohuis and Apollo Records, both founded and run by the Dutch composer, visual and sound artist, Paul Panhuysen, with his wife Hélène, until his death in 2015.

Trained as a painter, and a founding member of the artist group, "De Bende van de Blauwe Hand" (Band Of The Blue Hand) - an affiliate of Fluxus - Paul Panhuysen began venturing into the world of experimental music during 1968 when he founded the Maciunas Ensemble, a project that he remained a member of until his death in 2015. During the early 80s, he also developed a solo practice centered around long string instruments, running adjacent to Ellen Fullman’s, with whom he also sometimes collaborated.

In 1980, as an attempt to support and highlight the community of artists surrounding him, Panhuysen founded Het Apollohuis: a platform for sound and visual arts, exhibitions, and concerts. Between its inception and 2001, the initiative organized 253 art exhibitions, 476 concerts and performances, 46 public lectures, symposia and several festivals, including the seminal "ECHO: images of sound II" in 1987, in addition to publishing 36 artists books, 5 screen-prints, 11 multiples and artists publications, 25 books/catalogues, posters, flyers, and postcards.

Running adjacent to Het Apollohuis, was Apollo Records, the legendary imprint that first brought us releases like Terry Fox's “Berlino / Rallentando”, Ellen Fullman’s “The Long String Instrument”, Shelley Hirsch’s “Singing”, Maciunas Ensemble’s “Music For Everyman 861”, and Akio Suzuki’s “Soundsphere”. Over the course of their run, between 1985 and 2016, they produced only 19 records. The density of quality is unmistakable. The vast majority stand as some of the most strikingly unique, risk laden, and important recordings in the entire history of experimental music.

In the words of Arnold Dreyblatt, "Paul Panhuysen and Hélène Panhuysen have sacrificed their personal time and energy in presenting a broad program representing visual arts, performance, installation, sound art and music. This program was exemplary for alternative art spaces worldwide as it presents work on the cutting edge of the contemporary art scene." Every one of these objects is permeated with that incredible dedication, love, and care.