What defines

B bigbrotiki Tiki Socialite Tiki Island, above the Silverlake Joined: Mar 25, 2002 Posts: 11621	B bigbrotiki Posted posted on Wed, Jun 11, 2008 1:01 PM On 2008-06-11 11:50, Sailor Curt wrote: bigbrotiki wrote: "I am critical of new Tiki that has no actual Tiki references in it." Can you post a link or photo that gives an example of what you are referring to above? That would really help to clarify (for me, at least) exactly what it is you are objecting to. Well, that is difficult because I started this thread with the rule to not use specific artists' work here. On the other hand, the misunderstandings and confusion here seem so great that the only way to clarify them seems to be visual material that is beyond an argument. So I decided to supply a link, no direct name or image, for an obviously talented artist who nobody here knows. When posting anything in a public forum, one has to be prepared to be judged, and I already spoke my piece in that thread, so I am using it again to make my point: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5863852&order=&section_id=5460700&page=2 I am not negating the artist's obvious talent, and the right of anyone to like his work, I am just saying that 95% percent of it bears no resemblance to Tiki, and thus should not be called such. To again make my point of view clearer, I am also repeating my initial post: "I find it sad that for an artist with that much talent, there seems to have been little effort expended here to link the designs to any Oceanic or mid-century traditions. Among the 36 renderings, I can only find a handful where I detect actual Tiki inspiration, the rest is all over the place in design, patterns and colors. As I repeatedly stated, a Tiki is not just any carved face with a toothy grin, it has a distinct heritage and context. Even when it does end up being more fantasy than authentic, Tiki is not a stylistic free for all. I'm sorry, but to create "Owl Tikis" and "Tiger Tikis" is not much different than Disney making Mickey Mouse and Goofy look like wood carvings and calling them Tiki. Some might think they are, but I do not. The artistic traditions of original Oceanic cultures are vast and varied in their artistic genius, and the works of mid-century Tiki carvers that used them as inspirations are incredibly creative and funny. Without any real connection to either, any piece of art, no matter how talented in its execution, could be termed fantasy tribal/folk/world art --but not Tiki."

On 2008-06-11 11:50, Sailor Curt wrote:
bigbrotiki wrote: "I am critical of new Tiki that has no actual Tiki references in it."

Can you post a link or photo that gives an example of what you are referring to above? That would really help to clarify (for me, at least) exactly what it is you are objecting to.

Well, that is difficult because I started this thread with the rule to not use specific artists' work here. On the other hand, the misunderstandings and confusion here seem so great that the only way to clarify them seems to be visual material that is beyond an argument.
So I decided to supply a link, no direct name or image, for an obviously talented artist who nobody here knows. When posting anything in a public forum, one has to be prepared to be judged, and I already spoke my piece in that thread, so I am using it again to make my point:

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5863852&order=&section_id=5460700&page=2

I am not negating the artist's obvious talent, and the right of anyone to like his work, I am just saying that 95% percent of it bears no resemblance to Tiki, and thus should not be called such.

To again make my point of view clearer, I am also repeating my initial post:

"I find it sad that for an artist with that much talent, there seems to have been little effort expended here to link the designs to any Oceanic or mid-century traditions. Among the 36 renderings, I can only find a handful where I detect actual Tiki inspiration, the rest is all over the place in design, patterns and colors. As I repeatedly stated, a Tiki is not just any carved face with a toothy grin, it has a distinct heritage and context. Even when it does end up being more fantasy than authentic, Tiki is not a stylistic free for all. I'm sorry, but to create "Owl Tikis" and "Tiger Tikis" is not much different than Disney making Mickey Mouse and Goofy look like wood carvings and calling them Tiki. Some might think they are, but I do not.

The artistic traditions of original Oceanic cultures are vast and varied in their artistic genius, and the works of mid-century Tiki carvers that used them as inspirations are incredibly creative and funny. Without any real connection to either, any piece of art, no matter how talented in its execution, could be termed fantasy tribal/folk/world art --but not Tiki."

Post #386365 by bigbrotiki on Wed, Jun 11, 2008 1:01 PM