Relay Column: On Wearing Cardboard – The 'Box Man' as a Costume (Wataru Banba)
PROFILE
Wataru Banba
Originally from Nishitama District, Tokyo. Graduated from the Department of Arts Policy and Management, College of Art and Design, Musashino Art University. In his graduation thesis, he discussed the poet Gozo Yoshimasu's film work 'gozoCinè' in connection with the geographical conditions of Fussa, where the poet grew up. He is primarily interested in the whole spectrum of areas involved in the creation of works such as novels, films, and art.
Wearing something changes our behavior and actions to a greater or lesser extent. What we can or cannot do changes depending on what we're wearing.
For example, if you're in a ski resort in the middle of winter and all you're wearing are shorts and a T-shirt, you won't be able to stay there for long because of the cold. But if you're wearing ski gear, the cold won't be a problem; you won't get wet from the snow. In your ski gear, you can immerse yourself in skiing as much as you want. Your body temperature remains comfortable, making you capable of long-term activities in a cold environment.
There's a novel called "The Box Man" (箱男)[1] written by Kobo Abe. The novel is about a man who wanders the city with a cardboard box over his head and lives with it on. The box of the 'box man' has a peephole[2] on each side, each about 42 cm wide, through which he looks at the outside world. The 'box man' keeps his cardboard box on not only when he goes out, but also when he's in his room, completing all aspects of his life from eating to sleeping inside the box. For the 'box man', the cardboard box he wears is not something he can easily give up once he puts it on.
As in the novel, where chapters are titled 'MY CASE'[3] and 'FOR EXAMPLE, CASE A'[4], it is composed of fragments of diaries from several 'Box Men'. Naturally, the background suggests multiple 'Box Men'. How do behavior and actions change when living with a box over the head? The story of "The Box Man" is written as multiple such examples.
At the beginning of "The Box Man," a short chapter titled 'METHOD OF MAKING THE BOX' is inserted. Here's what it says.
Materials: A cardboard box A sheet of semi-transparent vinyl cloth, about 50 cm square Approximately eight meters of waterproof duct tape Two meters of wire A utility knife (as a tool)
(In addition, prepare three worn-out heavy-duty trousers and a pair of rubber work boots for a full-fledged appearance on the street) [5]
This chapter begins with a description of the materials mentioned above and provides tips on how to prepare and work on the cardboard box, which is indispensable for the 'box man'. If readers follow the instructions written here, they can get a cardboard box just like the one the 'box man' owns. And finally, once they wear the box, they can look just like the 'box man'.
However, just because they look like the 'box man', it doesn't mean they immediately become like the character in the novel just by obtaining a specially crafted cardboard box and wearing it. Becoming like the 'box man' is nothing more than imitating him—it's just a costume.
What's important is that dressing up as the 'box man' is an act of extracting only the box from the story of the novel "The Box Man." Wearing the box and confirming its feel is a different experience from reading the story. Wearing something changes our behavior and actions. The clue to thinking about this lies in the fact that the reader is not a character in the novel.
Imagine you have crafted a cardboard box following the 'Box Design Method'. This box isn't something you invented, but you created it with your own hands. There is no preconceived environmental use for the box. We don't even know what function the box has or what comfort it will bring until it is worn. A brief wearing of the box won't show us much. It doesn't allow the box to become accustomed to the body. To fully integrate the box, you must wear it until you forget you're wearing it, much like underwear.
Once you've successfully forgotten about the box, then try becoming conscious of the box and verify its feel. At that moment, you will realize that you have become a 'box man'. While wearing the cardboard box over your head, you find yourself alone in your room. Looking through peepholes you made at eye level, you can see your room. How does the room look to you? Walk towards the veranda and take a peek. What does the outside world look like when viewed through the box?
Finally, take off the box and return to your prior condition. As this is a disguise, you must eventually return to your original state. Then, before you take the box off, you should reflect on what has changed, and what has been rendered possible or impossible by wearing the box.
