Lecturing has become a game. MoMA is now hosting an artist PowerPoint talk series called “5 x 20 x 20″ in the Pecha Kucha style. Every session features five artists in the collection, each presenting a 20-slide PowerPoint presentation of his or her work, 20 seconds per slide.

Pecha Kucha literally translates to “the noise of chatter.” Typically it’s used as a platform for further discussion and socializing, paired with drinking. The event would be well lubricated after a round or two of beers, but on the other hand, that would dull the intensity of being in a packed room, watching someone wish away eight seconds of unplanned silence.

The time constraints neuter the preciousness and idle rambling of the Artist Talk, and the result is a refreshing set of six-minute-long lectures. According to the artists who participated last Thursday (a motley crew of Christian Holstad, Julian Hoeber, Dannielle Tegeder, Elizabeth Simonson, Kim Jones and Dana Schutz), Pecha Kucha is a stressful “game” to participate in. The most common problem among participants was timing—over- and underestimation of how long to show a single slide. Holstad, the first to go, floundered his first three slides while mindlessly balancing a pumpernickel bagel on the podium.

“5 x 20 x 20″ will take place every Monday and Thursday until May 21. Next date: May 18 at 12:30pm with Kurt Kauper, Tamara Gayer, Rachel Selekman, Dave Muller, Gerry Hayes and Randall Sellers. Tickets are $5.—K-Fai Steele