Post #548944 by bigbrotiki on Mon, Aug 16, 2010 10:26 PM

I think the key for the difference between classic Tiki and revival Tiki lies in the fact that the concept of "pop culture" did not exist in the 50s and early 60s -that's why Tiki style could not be recognized as such in its heyday. Pop culture, the lifting up of low art to high art, was introduced with the phenomenon of the Beatles and their generation. Since they pretty much killed Tiki culture, it took some time for the pop culture perspective to come around and discover Tiki culture anew. It is this new "pop culture" perspective that liberally allows the mingling of non-related, other pop facets. Not historically correct, and not to everyone's liking :), but far more lively than pure "historical re-enactment". Simply a different animal. The main thing that I find irksome about it is when it becomes its own thing, with no knowledge of and connection to classic Tiki.