Chatterbox: Pecha Kucha is all the talk of local artists and art lovers

Pecha Kucha- sound like an exotic animal? In a way, it is. With origins in Tokyo, this new breed of art presentation has invaded more than 150 cities across the globe and was introduced to the Lowcountry creative landscape last November. Designed to minimize speaking time in order to maximize audience interest, the concept allows each presenter from architects to filmmakers, chefs to poets—just under seven minutes to connect with the audience through pictures, videos, and music delivered on 20 slides, each shown for 20 seconds.

At the inaugural Charleston event, featured artists included Studio A Architecture’s Whitney Powers speaking about modernist and sustainable architecture, FISH executive chef Nico Romo relating his multicultural upbringing through a brief cooking demo, and Hook’s Brady Waggoner discussing the linguistic and rhythmic relationship of reggae and hip-hop, among others. The organizers, local creatives brought together by New Carolina (South Carolina’s Council on Competitiveness), hope Pecha Kucha becomes a regular on the Lowcountry cultural scene. Keep your ears perked for the next round of presentations this month. Visit www.pechakuchacharleston.wordpress.com for details.