VENT at Soapbox Gallery 636 Dean Street, Brooklyn NY

My performances take on elements of chance, I set up the boundaries: length, where, how I start, etc., but after the initial moments, the viewers can change how it will go, sometimes for the good, sometimes not. This performance was definitely for the good. The community reaction to the piece was overwhelmingly positive. I initially had not wanted to speak to anyone, but I soon realized that I had basically come into there space and set myself up. If they had to come into the gallery to see me instead of being able to do so on the sidewalk, the viewers would have had a choice and an interest in learning about what I was doing, but since not, I decided to speak after all.

The decision to speak made the performance as the interactions with the viewers was the best part. I needed to keep explaining the piece to new viewers, sure but the ones I called regulars were the best. I was on their regular route, so they would walk by several times a day. After awhile it could become rote, just a wave or a smile. It was odd how a half naked man sitting in a window display can become normal in a way.

My favorite interactions were with children who seemed to accept me first. They would ask questions of course, but the questions would be important. The first question would be “why?” after my brief explanation, they would ask follow-ups. One of my favorites was Max (I am horrible with names and I could be wrong about his). While I was setting-up, he walked by and told his mother and brothers “I’m going to watch him pee!” After that, he would pass several times a day, usually with just a wave and smile, but often coming up and talking about the piece. Now Max is six or seven, so it was usually his mother telling me what they were discussing, but it made me realize that I did get some reaction from the viewers. On my second to last day, Max even came up to me to say goodbye in case he didn’t see me the last day.

While reducing living to it’s bare essentials, I did learn to appreciate the most basic one; communication.

                                             -Chad Wanzek

Chad Wanzek inhabited our Soapbox Gallery window for five days and four nights. He quit smoking, ate only boiled potatoes, drank water, and expressed himself through writing on the walls with a single pencil. He was entertained by his thoughts and the movement of life outside his window -which, unexpectedly, included a tornado.

He had many exchanges with passersby; rush hour drivers quizzically looked on as they waited for a light to change, and locals asked questions as they passed this odd inhabitant day after day. The most curious groups were the packs of teens heading home from school and the little ones wondering who the man behind the glass was.

There was also a spirited stream of comments on our live feed, as people around the world checked in to see what Chad was up to -most often pacing back and forth.

Below are some images from the five days The Potato Eater was in the box.

Monday has arrived. Chad Wanzek is stationed in his window box, and you can watch him via the LIVE FEED page.

Track his movements as he paces the room, writes on the walls, sits with his thoughts, and deals with the extremely frustrating experience of being ripped from addiction -he's quitting smoking while in the box!

During his time at Soapbox Chad has nothing but a single pencil to entertain him. He is wearing only his skivvies and is limited to plain boiled potatoes for nourishment. Experimenting with paring life's requirements down to the bare minimum, Chad will remain in the gallery until 5pm Friday, September 17th.

If you want to send Chad a message, leave a comment below the video on the LIVE FEED page. Join us on Thursday, September 16th for an open house.

VENT is approaching. Things are coming together, and performers are preparing. Chad Wanzek is boiling potatoes, and mentally readying himself to enter the window box.
 
Taking cues from Marina, Tehching Hsieh, Paul Wong as well as monks and sadhus, and perhaps pointing at the current prison state which uses solitary confinement in excessive ways, Chad is testing his limits. He is quitting smoking cold turkey, living off the minimal resources needed to stay alive, and sharing with us his process. He will be a white mouse in a glass box, and we are invited to observe.

Installing himself this coming Monday (September 13th) Chad will inhabit the window box of the Soapbox Gallery until the evening of Friday the 17th. The beginning of his residence also launches our Soapbox live feed; tune in day or night to witness Chad in his solitude.

When you remove distractions, does your mind calm down? Or does it busy itself to make up the difference?

Join us Thursday September 16th 7pm - 9pm for an open house. Also present will be Atom Cianfarani's Consume Love.