Post #386573 by Cammo on Thu, Jun 12, 2008 6:01 AM

Jeez, this is up to page 5 in like - 20 hours!

One of the problems with the pop/kitch 'Poly Pop' movement model is that they didn't think of themselves as pop/kitch at the time. They were in a lot of cases very serious in trying to import Polynesian style; they simply did it with very little knowledge or reference on hand. They in fact operated in a vacuum then.

Today we do not operate in a vacuum; never before has more information & real history been available. People simply don't use (or feel) original source reference, it's much more fun and feels more reasurring to poke fun at Tiki. That's what the 'big-toothed Tikis' are all about, they're clownish products that are intentionally crass and funny. That's why they sell.

Anyway, I see the whole 20th century Tiki movement as a very small reflection of the incredibly inspiring, awesomely superior, talented Polynesian/Melanesian artists whose styles evolved over millenia. And I'm glad Sven has focused on this issue.

[ Edited by: Cammo 2008-06-12 08:18 ]