Post #277559 by bigbrotiki on Mon, Jan 8, 2007 4:37 PM

And again, this guy's rounded off, organic limbs and belly, all "off" in their proportions to each other (meaning not Tiki style proportions), just cry out Asian carver to me! These guys just don't get it.

Can I hear some opinions from carvers on this question?

And it is not a question of these being "carved well". Of course they are! Those Balinese (or whatever) carvers have been carving beautifully for generations. That is their very problem. They do not understand the "primitive" aesthetic, their craftsmanship is too smooth. They copy from small samples, but don't understand the style: For instance: The head of the Tiki is supposed to be much larger than the rest of the body--because it is the seat of mana (and ancestors had lots of that) These guys' bodies are too long and voluminous!

And looking at the steep price of that last one, it seems that the importer sells his statues cheap to other vendors, who then turn around and try to make a profit on e-bay with them (the "Money God"...yeah right, for the seller), so it will be hard to establish their origin. That's why I really want to know who this supposed East Coast carver is. I believe it is really the importer, who tells prospective buyers whatever they seem to want to hear!

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2007-01-08 22:37 ]