“His Black is like a ‘blind spot’ – a phantasy with the speed of nightmare. Hypnotic effect of organic microscopic forms. From darkness of the daemon to brightness to sperm to womb to friction contraction expansion. It is a trip for blind America.” – Takahiko Iimura, Eiga Hyoron (Japanese Film Review)

“My approach to the non-photographic film is related to the oriental (Chinese and Japanese) scroll.  The clear leader of the film is treated as a scroll disregarding the frames and is scratched with abstract calligraphy writing. The black leader is scratched in a similar manner with similar images. I used found Japanese leader in one of my films.  I also use found computer cards which I found on the sidewalk on West Broadway near Spring St. in NYC in the 60’s.  The holes on the cards held meaning to the computer but they too create a language when I used the holes as stencils over the clear leader.  

 "I approach film as a direct medium.  Working directly on 16mm, my basic method is as follows:  a way to produce light images by taking away- a way to produce images by adding to.  I do not try to imitate the form made by the camera; I try to bring out the unique qualities which are inherent in the film itself-the celluloid and the emulsion.  I scratched, perforated, drew, used acid and other substances  the surface of the leader. The approach was completely open where anything and everything was possible as long as it is technically printable.  The movement of the projector (30 frames per second) created the animated rhythm of the film.To get down to the essentials:  light and motion."

            How intense is the intensity of light?
            How many images of blackness in a second?
            How many sounds in a pulsation of light?
            How does an instant of film span a million?
            How black is the blackness?"

–Statement on Handmade Films, Aldo Tambellini

I am often asked about my obsession with BLACK.  My paintings are black.  Here is a statement on BLACK:

suspended
                        over the void
                                    the immense
                                                black space

                        the silence of
                                    the universe
                                                the infinite sky

            how intensely BLACK
            how deeper than BLACK
            how blacker than BLACK
                                                                        can space be
                                                                             when the sun
                                                                                   is blackout
                        &
                        throughout
                               the universe
                                                            BLACK IS

            the blind see
                        a transplanted prophetic vision
                                    projecting darkening images
                                                                                        over the sun

                        the sun burns the eyes
                                    of those who can see
                                                & have no vision

somehow
     the solar winds navigate the BIG THOUGHT throughout black space infinity
somehow
     a message breathes from the universe consciousness
somehow
     there is a language to be decoded
somehow
     there is still silence in its echo
somehow
     we are in a mindless voyage to destruction