PechaKucha: if you don’t hang out regularly in creative circles in Dundee (or in any of the other 1000 cities where these events are now hosted) then you are probably wondering, ‘what the hell is that’?
Simply put, a PechaKucha presentation consists of 20 slides of 20 seconds each. First created in Tokyo in 2003 by architects Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham, these presentations bring an element of artistry to a platform more commonly associated with the boardroom, the powerpoint.
Speakers can present on whatever their hearts desire, from litter picking to the philosophy of technology. The only constraints are that every slide must be an image, and these slides will march mercilessly on every 20 seconds, forcing them to wrap up in a neat 6 minutes 40 seconds whether they are ready or not.
In a quote given to Wired magazine, Mark Dytham explains that rather than limit it, these constraints actually free peoples creativity. He says that ‘suddenly, there’s no preciousness in people’s presentations. Just poetry’.
Dundee: UK's Biggest PechaKucha Night
Creative Dundee first brought PechaKucha to Dundee in 2011 and they have hosted an event quarterly ever since. It is now the biggest PechaKucha night in the whole of the UK!
This week I had my first taste of this incredibly popular event – Vol 26, hosted in the Rep Theatre – and what a treat it was.
As is usual with these events, the line up was eclectic and unpredictable. We heard from a wild array of creatives, designers, academics, hobbyists, and artists as well as a ‘pass the mic’ interlude where audience members could shout out any upcoming events or projects to keep an eye on.
Vol 26: The Lineup
The idea with PechaKucha presentations is that you have exactly 6 minutes 40 seconds to talk about anything you like, literally anything. You never know what you’re going to get when you turn up at one of these events.
This particular night saw a mishmash of creatives. We kicked off with the bubbly Clare Brennan, a lecturer in Visual Arts Practice at Abertay University, who listed her female heroes, from her gran to Doris Day, and gave us this belter of a quote from Liz Lockhead: ‘feminism is a bit like hoovering, you’ve just got to keep doing it’. And finished off with musician Rachel Simpson, who improvised on her cornet (I think?) to images provided by friends, family, and collaborators.
In between we had a ‘brief history of the near future’ from Dr Drew Hemment who told us about some of his previous work looking at the way technology will shape and affect our lives as it evolves. He is now working with the Edinburgh Futures Institute, a new facility which aims to create graduates who ‘speak the language of several sectors’ and ‘act as cultural mediators between civic and business worlds’.
We were given a severe sartorial scolding by stylist, Edith Adams, who explained various ‘style personalities’, from the natural (‘often spotted in walking shoes with no hills in sight’) to the creative (‘likes charity shops, thinks they’re unique then comes to a PechaKucha night and looks like everyone else’). There was a lot of (nervous) laughter in the room as she encouraged us to look around and spot these personalities.
The highlight for me was a delightfully entertaining performance from comic artist Olivia Hicks who read us her whimsical work on Girls Aloud’s foray into ghost hunting. Something Kinda Boo was the hilarious tale of ‘Cheryl the (sometimes racist) people’s princess’ and her popstar mates featuring on tv’s Most Haunted. The intricate lines were delivered with a comic precision that had the audience in fits of laughter and nearly had the poor BSL interpreter in an actual fit.
I also really enjoyed the presentation by Lisa Williamson and Gemma Nicol of Hidden Route Theatre Company on how finding the perfect notebook and building a creative community are basically the same thing. As a stationary enthusiast myself, I was intrigued. It turns out that they both need a sturdy spine to hold them together, lined pages for structure, blank pages for experimentation, and space for opportunity. Who knew?
A Full-Stop on the Night
Host, Lori Anderson, finished the evening by leading us all in a chant she had learned in Tokyo earlier this year. It is often shouted at the end of events to show appreciation and give thanks. She stood on stage and let out a big woop, to which the audience responded with a single, coordinated clap. It felt like a full-stop on the night. A satisfying end to an evening of creativity that left my brain buzzing for hours afterwards.
If you are interested in attending the next one, it is being hosted by Creative Dundee on the 12th May. Keep an eye out on their social media for tickets, they sell out fast!