Folding Hat
1971 · 30 min
'Folding Hat' is a deadpan conceptual exercise that represents a dashed attempt to rescue an object from the meaning assigned to it. Whistling an aria from The Barber of Seville, Baldessari bends and folds a simple hat into numerous configurations. However, for the duration of the exercise, which unfolds in real time, the object never loses its "hatness." In the end it is untransmutable—no escape can be made from its meaning. Although Baldessari tries to drive a wedge between the signifier and signified, the viewer never misrecognizes the hat.
- Director
- John Baldessari
- Released
- January 1, 1971
- Language
- English
Where to watch in the US
No US streaming, rental or purchase options listed right now. Check TMDB's watch page
Streaming data from JustWatch, via TMDB.