This Tuesday was a nice one – It’s Nice That’s September ‘Nicer Tuesdays’

Not every Tuesday evening is a memorable one, but this month’s ‘Nicer Tuesdays’ was an exception. Held in the incredible multi-arts space EartH Hackney, It’s Nice That hosted a stunning line-up featuring comedian and artist Joe Lycett, founder of short film platform Minute Shorts Janvier Wete, and Victoria Young and Niels van der Donk, the duo behind 3D animation studio Yonk.

The night was doused in comedy, and not just because Joe Lycett was there. Unbridled enthusiasm was palpable in the room and the designers were unexpectedly playful; we all felt charged and… well… sweaty.

A dynamic start from Janvier Wete.

Despite the lack of ventilation, we settled into EartH’s striking tiered-seating theatre venue, took excessive photos of its original Art Deco features, and experienced a dynamic start as Janvier Wete kicked off the night.

Taking us through his creative process of making Minute Shorts, from colour inspiration (Frank Ocean, we love you) to app design and world-wide aims for the future, the emotion behind his project is clear. Minute Shorts doesn’t just showcase curated, contemporary short film – it represents the impact art has on this generation and facilitates the expansive community that is built between film makers, creatives, and visual enthusiasts.

Janvier’s expertly designed time-based interface and hand-picked (but not exclusionary) collection of short films shows how personal Minute Shorts is – to him and everyone that uses it. A thunderous round of applause followed Janvier’s talk – it’s clear he inspired us all.

A talk from Yonk.

Next was a transformative injection of energy and luminosity – a talk from Yonk. Victoria and Niels’ whimsical spirit utterly elevated their presentation, adding to – not distracting from – the explanation of their incredible graphic design process.

Did you know that you can sculpt digital, 3D clay-like designs and characters with a VR headset? I didn’t, but I do now.

The duo easily demonstrated their imaginative methods, revealing challenges they’ve had to face, habits they’ve adopted, and mind-blowing end results. Their process of overcoming digital quandaries was ingenious and beyond inventive.

Yonk do not digitise their design work, they begin the entire creative process already in the digital world. This acceptance of current tools, and desire to push boundaries of technology that doesn’t exist yet, roots Yonk firmly in the future. It was a privilege to watch.

Joe Lycett takes the stage.

Finally, Birmingham’s favourite comedian, Joe Lycett, concluded this Nicer Tuesdays with a relaxed yet insightful Q&A, demonstrating his quick wit, detailed thoughts about the comedic industry, and the connection between his work and his art (which ranges from painting to sculpting, from filmmaking to book writing – impressive, I know).

His personal insight, all shared with the perfect balance of genuinity and light-heartedness, really made the evening. Of course, as a comedian, Joe’s talk wasn’t without its laughs: the slideshow of his artistic work, rotating on loop behind him, provided a lot of entertainment. There’s nothing like talking about the seriousness of your parents’ career with an intense-looking portrait of former Prime Minister Liz Truss floating above your head (and some more explicit pieces you’ll have to view on his website…).

Nicer Tuesdays is now occurring monthly until the end of the year. I’ll see you in October.