Luz es Vida: Pecha Kucha Wild Rivers

Luz es Vida: 20 Images x 20 Seconds + Many Stories (Pecha Kucha)

Pecha Kucha Night Taos Heads to RGDN National Monument as part of Questa’s “Luz es Vida” Event Series
Tickets on sale NOW!

Luz es Vida. Light is indeed life in northern New Mexico. This summer Questa puts a regional spin on an international theme for its annual summer event series, featuring Pecha Kucha Taos Volume 17, “Luz es Vida” edition. Pecha Kucha Taos will host its first outdoor event on Saturday, July 18th, at 8:30 PM at the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument at the Wild Rivers Visitor Center Amphitheater. Tickets are $10 for show only, $25 for show + a special catered dinner at 7pm or $48 for the “PK Package” ( show, dinner + round trip transport by school bus and special perks). Advance purchase is highly recommended and available through the Taos Center for the Arts (TCA) offices (phone 575-758-2052).

On the most fundamental level, light is necessary for the existence of life itself through photosynthesis. Applications of light and light technologies have also revolutionized society through medicine, communications, entertainment and culture. Through the ages light has inspired and influenced countless scientists, creative thinkers and artists.

Light gives life everywhere, but especially here in northern New Mexico, one of the solar capitals of the world. Light grows our food and sustains our agricultural heritage; it also powers and heats many of our homes. On a sunny day, Questa get’s 80% of its electricity from the solar field installed on a defunct mine-tailings site west of the village. And of course we mustn’t forget the unbroken light across the sagebrush that stopped a couple of artists in their tracks a hundred years ago, famously confirming Taos County’s artistic heritage.

This special, themed Pecha Kucha Night combines the collaborative efforts and talents from the folks at LEAP, the BLM, Locology, The Questa Visitor Center and Pecha Kucha Night Taos.

Through the “Luz es Vida – Light is Life,” organizers of the event series are calling on new, emerging, and established artists to pull out all stops in thinking about the topic of “Light” for this special Pecha Kucha edition. Full lineup of presenters to be announced in late June/early July.

Last summer Pecha Kucha Taos made its debut in Questa at OCHO to a more-than-sold-out crowd, so this summer, the event moves to the Wild Rivers Outdoor Amphitheater at the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument just west of Questa, on the outskirts of Cerro. Directions to the event can be found at www.pechakucha.org/cities/taos.

Volume 17 celebrates UNESCO’s 2015 Year of Light northern New Mexico-style with Luz es Vida. All nine presenters are from Questa and surrounding local communities. Presenters include:

Daniel Carmona, Cerro (Light is Life at Cerro Vista Farm)
Sandra Harrington, Questa (The Making of a Fairy Lantern)
Eric Garner, Forest Service, Questa District (The Life Cycle of a Tree)
Carrie Levin, Forest Service, Questa District (Light + the Archeology of 100 Years of Art in Taos)
Erin Freiboth, DOI/VISTA Volunteer, Questa (Light + Wild Rivers Flora and Fauna)
Surasit Khamsamran, Taos (Light and Photography)
Marcus Rael, Questa (Stain Glass Windows for San Antonio Church)
Cathy Hope, Latir (Passive Solar Greenhouse)
Jackson Boyd, age 11, Sunshine Valley (DIY Solar Panel Science Fair Project)

Usually there is an intermission during PK events, but because this one is starting later with the setting sun, there will be no intermission.

The term “Pecha Kucha” is Japanese, and refers to the sound of “chit chat.” The gist of Pecha Kucha is that artists and community members are given an opportunity to showcase and present 20 images of their work, with images changed every 20 seconds. Each presentation is 6 minutes and 40 seconds. Join in an evening of audio-visual shorts and lots of creative thinking on the theme of “light.”

Come explore dramatic hiking trails, pitch your tent and stay ’til Sunday; enjoy a free, guided afternoon walk, climb on a bus for a tour of the scenic route from Taos to Wild Rivers, or come just for the evening and enjoy light catered savouries and sweets and a Pecha Kucha you won’t forget. Tickets are going fast!

Get directions and google map here.
Camping is $7/night. Day-use fee is waved for this event.
Additional information about camping at the Wild Rivers Recreation Area here.

More information at www.pechakucha.org/cities/taos or www.leapsite.org.