Dan Zen loves parties! He has been holding events since he was little - Haunted Houses, Magic Shows and then going absolutely crazy after schooling with dozens of theme parties such as Medieval Feast, Beatnik Feast, Space Feast, dances waving psychedelic ties in strobe lights and many odd events. Let's Party!▲ Underpass - an after hours dance in the late 1980's was one of the first public parties Zen put on to a somewhat Goth / New Wave crowd. This was followed in the nineties by a number of Op Hop events as detailed in the Dan Zen Expo MUSIC EXHIBIT▲ London Swings - a party at our squat in London, England. Zen certainly learned to party here and would bring back a similar vibe to Canada in the nineties. This shot is from the FRIENDS EXHIBIT which provides many pictures from parties.
▲ Guru Monster Movie - an example of the way Zen and friends partied - they made things as they partied. They jammed, told stories, and did collective drawings ▼
▲ Party Games - pictured above is a collection of party games. Every New Year party, Zen makes a game to torture his friends.
▲ Surreal Charades - Tin Tin lofted the bugle over the Oscar Meyer weiner truck, etc. Treasure Hunt during Thanks Giving party and cards from the Space Feast where visitors from various galaxies found matching traits.
▲ Car Rallies - Zen held several car rally parties starting with the Jerseyville Jigsaw which included begging Bloetire and Dr. Zig Zag for the rest of the instructions and given points for whining, stomping, threatening, calm-level-headed reasoning, crying, kissing hands, outlandishly complimenting, and profusely thanking if they obliged. This map and description is from the second car rally with competing bands of spies - what fun!
▲ Moustache Mysteries - Zen wrote five mysteries and played each mystery twice at mystery parties. See the Dan Zen Expo MYSTERY EXHIBIT. Above is Zen and wife RoseAnne playing the Hungarian Hunting Lodge. The series was launched with a Moustache Party in 1996. For years afterwards moustaches were found on pictures, sculptures, etc. as a wonderful reminder of the party.
▲ Dan Zen Launch - The Dan Zen site was officially launced in 1997 with a party of the whose who in digital Hamilton - follow the invite link to see the invitees. It was a bring your own Koan party - wow! SEE INVITE SITE
▲ Decor is always important. Here, for Zen's 42 birthday, was the Galactic Gathering where the house was converted into a space saucer which had landed in an unusual garden. Space tapestries were hung, sculptures and space guns were plentiful.
▲ Costumes! Zen and friends at the Galactic Gathering.
▲ More costumes including visiting diplomats held by ambassador RoseAnne at right.
▲ Food at parties is fun - Zen has provided a number of unique dishes - this called the Toes of Time was not eaten - hmmm.
▲ Half Century Celebration! Dan Zen invited everyone he knows to his fiftieth birthday party captured in this video - well worth the watch beyond the unusual intro.
▲ Poster for Dan Zen Half Century Celebration and Museum Launch - 2014.
▲ Dan Zen Museum Launch pictures SEE PICTURES
Parties
