Pecha Kucha, which roughly translates to "chit-chat" in Japanese, is a style of creative speaking event that originated in Tokyo in 2003. The unique format, a kind of speed-dating version of a TED talk, requires 10 guest speakers to each develop a presentation on a specific topic within the strict parameters of 20 slides and 20 seconds per slide. The slides are set on a timer out of the control of the presenters, so the cumulative effect of 10 short presentations, just over six minutes each, leads to a fast and furious evening of entertainment and creative inspiration.
Pecha Kucha was originally brought to Austin by Herman Dyal and Carla Fraser, and Pentagram Austin partner DJ Stout and Lana McGilvray became the directors in 2011. McGilvray and Stout took over just before PK 10, and for that program Pentagram designed a limited poster that was given away to the attendees. Pentagram has continued to design posters for every Pecha Kucha evening since, totalling up to a series of twenty-seven collectible posters, all silkscreen printed by Tony Diaz of Industry Print Shop. Two or three Pecha Kucha Austin Nights are organized every year.
Pecha Kucha Austin has featured presenters from a wide array of creative endeavors, including graphic designers, painters, sculptors, architects, photographers, collagists, musicians, cartoonists, writers, slam poets, graffiti artists, community activists, choreographers, philanthropists, composers, interior designers, chefs, comedians, filmmakers, Freemasons, fashion designers, sign makers, actors, puppeteers and burlesque dancers. The program has included established personalities and amateurs, professionals and hobbyists, speakers well into their later years and even a 13-year-old architecture enthusiast.
Another Pecha Kucha tradition is that each event is held in a new venue, and these distinct locations have become the inspiration for many of the posters:
PK 10 was held at the Austin Speed Shop, a rock 'n' roll hot rod customizing garage, and the poster took the form of an auto mechanic's parts chart, with each of the 10 presenters paired up with an image of an auto part. To emphasize the communal nature of the program's format, an amalgamation of the 10 parts became the central focus of the poster.
PK 11, presented in a cavernous, abandoned industrial building called Seaholm Power Plant, featured the electrical plant's smokestacks pouring out hand-drawn smoke letters spelling out the presenter’s names.
PK 12 was held in a former Goodwill Industries warehouse on the Eastside of Austin. The poster consisted of a series of vintage black and white product ads publicizing the speakers' names and creative disciplines.
PK 13 was staged in an old theater located in a fraternal lodge called the Scottish Rite, so the poster utilized the allegorical eyeball iconography of the Freemasons who had used the lodge as a meeting place for generations. The poster was silkscreen printed in metallic gold ink on black paper.
PK 14 was held in a dilapidated structure called the Tops Building. The designers paired each of the ten speakers with a different antique toy spinning top. The rendering style of the tops and the poster's typography was inspired by old classic toy packaging and advertising.
PK 15, mounted in a sawdusty wood shop called Delta Millworks, led to a typographic poster solution featuring the names of the ten presenters set in vintage wood type and silkscreen printed with a split fountain effect.
PK 16, the self-proclaimed "unofficial kickoff to Austin's South By Southwest Music Festival," was held in a big tent in the parking lot of the Pentagram office and inspired a retro music poster complete with badly reproduced halftone portraits of the 10 presenters.
PK 17 took place in an alley (alley #111 to be precise) near the downtown Sixth Street district—thus the alley cat theme. The cat illustrations were lifted from a vintage French encyclopedia.
PK 18 took place at the Livestrong Foundation headquarters and the accompanying poster took inspiration from the iconic yellow rubber wristbands.
PK 19 was originally meant to be held at Laguna Gloria, a lakefront property associated with The Contemporary Austin. The poster plays with a paint-by-numbers nature scene, symbolizing the art classes offered at Laguna Gloria.
PK 20 was hosted on the rooftop of The Contemporary Austin—an art museum in downtown Austin. The poster posits a feature of each presenter within a series of picture frames that combine to form a full face. This was the 20th Anniversary of Pecha Kucha in Austin.
PK 21 was put on at The Long Center, a space intended to host creative performances. The venue’s outdoor terrace overlooks Lady Bird Lake, which inspired the image of the diver at the bottom of the poster "listening" to the presenters.
PK 22 was hosted at at Austin Beerworks, so the poster appropriately features a custom Pecha Kucha-labeled beer can.
PK 23 took place in an abandoned retail space next door to a Trader Joe’s grocery store. The poster consists of vintage grocery store products, each with a presenter's name as the label.
PK 24 was held at the former Jax Beer Warehouse, and featured legendary Austin drummer Chris Layton, also known as the "Whipper," as the musical presenter. Artist Brian Stauffer illustrated a set of drumming hands for the poster as a tribute to Layton's involvement.
PK 25 was conducted at Pure Austin Speed Shop & Rogue Running space, and featured an all-female lineup. The poster was inspired by vintage wig advertisements.
PK 26 was hosted in an event space in the shadow of the Texas State Capitol on the historical Congress Avenue. For the poster, each presenter was imagined as a political campaign button to play into the political atmosphere at the time–the 2016 presidential election.
PK 27 took place at an old warehouse on the west side of Austin. This poster served as commentary on the recent results of the 2016 presidential election.
PK 28 was held at the KC Grey Home Furniture warehouse space in South Austin. Each letter of the event's title "Pecha Kucha 28” sits on on a piece of furniture.
PK 29 took place at the Blue Genie Art Bazaar–a space intended for local artists to share and sell their work. The poster features the smoky visage of a genie emerging from a bottle.
PK 30 was staged at a former Bealls department store. The design of the poster features a collage of a winged dog wearing a dress.
PK 31, held at Native Hostel Austin, features Big Tex riding Dale Whistler's iconic sculpture "Nightwing" which sits at the south entrance of the Congress Avenue bridge, the home of Austin's Mexican Free-tail bats.
PK 32 was held at the former Greenleaf Wholesale Florist Warehouse. The poster features Marilyn Monroe with her head covered in flowers, surrounded by bats and bees.
PK 33 took place at the top floor of the towering Google office building in Downtown Austin. Each presenter's name is designed to emulate the style of Google’s logo.
PK 34 was staged at the historic Symphony Square outdoor stage (now the new Waterloo Greenway offices) which sits on Waller Creek in the Red River District of downtown Austin. The poster depicts a musician playing an elaborate arrangement of instruments in the creek.
PK 35 took place at Distribution Hall, a former German beer distributor, located on Austin’s historic east side. The poster was inspired by vintage German beer labels and the spirit of Octoberfest, celebrating the comeback edition after the long pandemic break.
PK 36 was held at a historic building located on South Congress Ave, now housed by the venture capital firm 8VC. Designed in collaboration with 8V’s designer Luke Zane, the snakes reference an interior design motif that alludes to the building’s past as a bordello.
