Kona Kai Apartments, San Gabriel, CA (apartments) - Locating Tiki

B bigbrotiki Tiki Socialite Tiki Island, above the Silverlake Joined: Mar 25, 2002 Posts: 11621	B bigbrotiki Posted posted on Mon, Mar 10, 2008 7:24 PM I love those carved beam Tikis at the Kona Kai/Pali. Done by the some artist (Leroy and Bob haven't made up their mind if it was Andy Bumatay) who did the Playa Del Rey Polynesian Village apartments (R.I.P. see photos of Tiki beams for comparison here http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=24905&forum=1&vpost=319657&hilite=Kona%20Pali ), they are such a great example of modernist stylization. That carver really "got" the various island styles, and the went to town recreating them in his own style. The entrance way Tikis follow the Pan-Polynesian concept: Hawaiian, Maori, Marquesan,and Cook islands (?) style. Some of the shots in the BOT actually ARE from the Kona Kai. I am happy to see the management is taking good care of theTikis, the paint job looks much better than before. Here are some unpublished photos from the Kona Pali, taken Sept. '93, before the '94 Northridge quake hit it: This "Bug Tiki" is why I think Andres Bumatay had something to do with the place. And the amazing pool hut, only at the Kona Pali. The contrast of the bright sun was so high I underexposed this shot and could not use it in the book. But just now I played around with it and it shows the amazing Tiki panels on the front pretty well, the sides had three stylized Tikis each. And I also just yanked up the contrast on that shot in the BOT of the entrance gable panels that showed residue of painted masks on them, and now you can see two of them much better...Tiki forensics at work :) : These panels were cork, and then had the masks spray painted on with stencils....that's what I am assuming. Like I say in the BOT, this gable must have been a sight to behold, with ca 60 growling Tiki masks greeting the tenant entering underneath. [ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2008-03-10 19:40 ]

I love those carved beam Tikis at the Kona Kai/Pali. Done by the some artist (Leroy and Bob haven't made up their mind if it was Andy Bumatay) who did the Playa Del Rey Polynesian Village apartments (R.I.P. see photos of Tiki beams for comparison here http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=24905&forum=1&vpost=319657&hilite=Kona%20Pali ), they are such a great example of modernist stylization. That carver really "got" the various island styles, and the went to town recreating them in his own style.

The entrance way Tikis follow the Pan-Polynesian concept: Hawaiian, Maori, Marquesan,and Cook islands (?) style. Some of the shots in the BOT actually ARE from the Kona Kai. I am happy to see the management is taking good care of theTikis, the paint job looks much better than before.

Here are some unpublished photos from the Kona Pali, taken Sept. '93, before the '94 Northridge quake hit it:

This "Bug Tiki" is why I think Andres Bumatay had something to do with the place.

And the amazing pool hut, only at the Kona Pali. The contrast of the bright sun was so high I underexposed this shot and could not use it in the book. But just now I played around with it and it shows the amazing Tiki panels on the front pretty well, the sides had three stylized Tikis each.

And I also just yanked up the contrast on that shot in the BOT of the entrance gable panels that showed residue of painted masks on them, and now you can see two of them much better...Tiki forensics at work :) :

These panels were cork, and then had the masks spray painted on with stencils....that's what I am assuming. Like I say in the BOT, this gable must have been a sight to behold, with ca 60 growling Tiki masks greeting the tenant entering underneath.

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2008-03-10 19:40 ]

Post #366066 by bigbrotiki on Mon, Mar 10, 2008 7:24 PM