Four Short Films (1973)

Contemporaneous to his bestknown video works these Super8mm films represent Baldessaris conceptual engagement with motion picture film pointing to the technical strengths and weaknesses of the celluloid medium relative to video such as the superior reproduction of color on one hand and the difficulty of adding synchronized sound on the other Conceived on an intimate scale only the artists hands are visible as he manipulates a range of objects Baldessaris Super8 films replace text and speech with a cunning visual language in which he wordlessly describes physical changes in his environment a bright light flashes on a mirrored surface red liquid rises in a thermometer and powdered pigment makes an indelible mess Here Baldessari employs a method of communication that is based on spectacle rather than performance