In preparation for the largest performance I've ever put together (yet) I got this haircut:
photo: Sara Risley
photo:Dominic Inouye
On August 27th and 28th over a period of two 10-hour long sessions 423 individual questions were posed to the 26 experts waiting inside “The Advice Tent." Some questions posed to the experts included serious questions such as, “Am I on the right path?” or “How can we be more merciful to the environment?” to vague: “What’s next?” and the ridiculous: “Should I purchase an inflatable unicorn horn for the cats?” Scroll all the way to the bottom of this post to see pictures of the advice given for that last question.
photo: Bill Sieger
photo: Martin Hallanger
photo: Bill Sieger
Participants seeking advice had to observe the rules of The Advice Tent:
- Because everything is anonymous to protect your privacy, you will be assigned a number.
- Select one problem and write it in a clear manner on the cover of your issued passport.
- Go around to whomever you want in the tent and show them your written problem, but verbal talking between advisor and seeker is incredibly forbidden.
photo: Bill Sieger
Volunteers at the entrance would help participants select one question to receive advice on. The question would then be written down on the cover of each participants issued "advice passport" so they could show their question to each advisor without breaking the "no talking in the tent" rule.
photo:Bill Sieger
The Advice Tent offered:
Dictionary Advice by Anja (me)
photo: Anna F. Brown
Advice seekers would choose a random word in the dictionary that I would then have to describe and defend as the literal answer to their inquiry.
Metaphorical Advice by Freesia McKee
While participants waited for their metaphorical advice they could mess with Freesia's Etch-a-Sketch.
photo: Bethany Price
Yoga Therapy Advice by Heidi Parkes
Certified Yoga Therapy Practitioner Heidi Parkes would tell you how to use ghee to fix your situation. photo: Dominic Inouye
Fashion/Alien/Voyeuristic Advice by Blasted Ellipses
Blasted Ellipses would give you fashion advice from the perspective of a space alien with a penchant for being voyeuristic.
Slap of Reality Advice by Reality Slapstein
All participants would receive a written slap of reality as well as a very real hand slap.
Contradictory Advice by Contra/Diction
Contra and Diction would converse behind their curtain, but never actually agree as to what you should do. Photo: Stephanie Weidenhoeft
photo: Martin Hallanger
Sporty Advice by Jock Strap
In between sentences he would lift weights or do push-ups. Photo: Martin Hallanger
Colored Advice by Dasha Kelly, "D'Comma Sense"
She burned incense and prescribed you a color. photo: Tiffany Miller
Sunny Side Up Healthy Ass Life Advice by Ms. Bloom
Healthy Ass Life Coach Tiffany Miller would write sunny side up advice on yellow paper.
Nihilistic Advice by Nadia
She consistently made her point that there is no point. photo: Stephanie Wiedenhoeft
Ethical Advice by the Honorable Fuega, Nature Witch:
Culinary Advice by Monique Gastrique
Monique Gastrique wrote many recipes for success both days. Photo: Jessica Zalewski
Klutz to Klutz Advice by Marty Cabinet
Pictured on the far left is Reality Slapstein and on the far right, with coffee spilled all over her shirt, our klutz master, Marty Cabinet.
Subliminal Advice by Notanja
The subliminal advice would be written while blindfolded. photo: Susan Wozny
Twice/Thrice Advice by Freesia McKee
This advice would be reiterated two to three times. photo: Alan Thompson-Wallace
Mending Advice by Heidi Parkes
photo: Martin Hallanger
Mending advice included an actual string stitched into the typewritten response. Photo: Susan Wozny
photo: Susan Wozny
Taoist Advice by ViVi
Each person would choose something from the book of I Ching that informed the response.
photo: Martin Hallanger
English Teacher Advice by Red Pen
He brought a mug, a coffee maker and a red pen to make corrections. photo: Martin Hallanger
photo: Dominic Inouye
Hard Boiled Advice by Marty Cabinet
There is no way to explain what she was doing other than to show you a sample of what she typed in response to the question "How can we be more merciful to the environment?"
Life: Welcome To Reality Advice by CC
There is no recording of what CC told people, you just had to be there.
photo: Martin Hallanger
Unrealistic Advice by Madame Peacock
photos: Martin Hallanger
photo: Thea Kovac
Musical Advice by Indigo Jade Kästel
Advice you could sing.
Fiery Advice by Audrey Thompson-Wallace
Advice you could burn.
Botanical Advice by Root the Plant Whisperer
Advice you could grow. Photo: Bill Sieger
photo: Martin Hallanger
Here are some answers to "Should I buy an inflatable unicorn horn for the cats?"
The Nihilistic response
The Unrealistic response.
The Twice/Thrice response.
The Subliminal response. (Need a clue? Follow the capital letters.)
Fiery advice written of course by the wife of this particular advice seeker.
My personal favorite interpretation, the Mending advice response.
An exhibition and live reading talk back of the advice sought and offered at The Advice Tent will be coming soon.
Feel free to email us any pictures of the advice tent you have taken to notanja@gmail.com.
Thank you to our volunteers and donors: Ariana Vaeth, JoAnn Chang, Amber Bush, Sachin Deshpande, Jessica Zalewski, Marika Holbus, Christina Ward, Barbara Aho, Howard Leu, Jeanne DeSimone, Bill Sieger, Adam McKee, WC Tank, Pat Walsh, Dominic Inouye, Freesia McKee, Paragon Printing, Milwaukee Fringe Festival
