Pecha Kucha - Portland
Submitted by Jessica Tomlinson on Mon, 01/07/2008 - 10:17am.
Holiday travel always reminds me of how Maine is always a little bit behind the times. Yes, even in Portland. We just aren't very cutting edge. It's why people choose to live here really. You don't spend half your life keeping up with the latest thing.
So when I learned that Portland was going to start a Pecha Kucha night, I was a bit dubious but trusted the good folks collaborating to make it possible: Architalx, Maine Center for Creativity, Portland Society of Architects, Space Gallery and the architecture peeps at University of Maine at Augusta.
Pecha Kucha, pronounced peh-chak-cha, is Japanese for the sound of conversation. Started in Tokyo by architects Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham, Pecha Kucha is a forum for sharing creative work, designs and concepts. Presenters are allowed 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds. Total presentation clocks in at under seven minutes with about 10 to 15 folks participating in one night. The event usually takes place somewhere with alcohol readily available. Think of it as a poetry slam for architects, designers and artists. Eighty cities in the world host these regular gatherings and now Portland is on that list.
The first event was held at Space Gallery in October and I was skeptical about attendance. How many Portlanders care about design? I was shocked when 200 people showed up. Lots of them wearing snappy dark clothes and eyeglasses made overseas.
Presenters included Phil Kaplan & Jesse Thompson, Jon Calame, Kevin Moquin, Margo Halverson, Evan Carroll, Deborah Wing-Sproul, Kerry Rasmussen, Meg Brown Payson and Elizabeth Trice. Topics ranged from recycled graduate school work on urban housing to graduate school work on divided cities. Architects talked about housing projects and artists pontificated on time and money. Quality of concepts ran the gamut but the format forces a healthy pace. There are no windbags allowed.
The one exception, oddly enough, was the mc for the night, Mark Dytham, the founder of Pecha Kucha. He happened to be in town giving a talk at the Portland Museum of Art so he was able to launch the first Pecha Kucha night in Maine. He came off more like a cheesy game show host than an international design star.
More Pecha Kucha nights are planned for 2008. The next one is January 17 at Space Gallery. They've asked me to host. Game on.
So when I learned that Portland was going to start a Pecha Kucha night, I was a bit dubious but trusted the good folks collaborating to make it possible: Architalx, Maine Center for Creativity, Portland Society of Architects, Space Gallery and the architecture peeps at University of Maine at Augusta.
Pecha Kucha, pronounced peh-chak-cha, is Japanese for the sound of conversation. Started in Tokyo by architects Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham, Pecha Kucha is a forum for sharing creative work, designs and concepts. Presenters are allowed 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds. Total presentation clocks in at under seven minutes with about 10 to 15 folks participating in one night. The event usually takes place somewhere with alcohol readily available. Think of it as a poetry slam for architects, designers and artists. Eighty cities in the world host these regular gatherings and now Portland is on that list.
The first event was held at Space Gallery in October and I was skeptical about attendance. How many Portlanders care about design? I was shocked when 200 people showed up. Lots of them wearing snappy dark clothes and eyeglasses made overseas.
Presenters included Phil Kaplan & Jesse Thompson, Jon Calame, Kevin Moquin, Margo Halverson, Evan Carroll, Deborah Wing-Sproul, Kerry Rasmussen, Meg Brown Payson and Elizabeth Trice. Topics ranged from recycled graduate school work on urban housing to graduate school work on divided cities. Architects talked about housing projects and artists pontificated on time and money. Quality of concepts ran the gamut but the format forces a healthy pace. There are no windbags allowed.
The one exception, oddly enough, was the mc for the night, Mark Dytham, the founder of Pecha Kucha. He happened to be in town giving a talk at the Portland Museum of Art so he was able to launch the first Pecha Kucha night in Maine. He came off more like a cheesy game show host than an international design star.
More Pecha Kucha nights are planned for 2008. The next one is January 17 at Space Gallery. They've asked me to host. Game on.
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- Jessica Tomlinson
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