King Konga - should we bring him back?

Of all the items we've ever produced, there's no single item that I get as many requests to reproduce as there is for King Konga. We produced a low run of King Konga back in '01... about 25 with no pedestal base and about 50 with the pedestal base (as shown in the photo below). If we run him again, I'd like to keep the total run to approximately 50 as the latex tooling will start decomposing if we produce more, thus affecting the quality.

We'd produce him here locally and to pay for a new tool, California production, Squid royalty & then do the handstaining in-house. I'd have to offer him likely somewhere between $75-$100 depending upon final costing. As I've been in the "mug zone" for so long now, I'm reaching out to you tc'ers to get your thoughts before I possibly jump-in.

[ Edited by: MakeDaMug 2008-07-30 14:52 ]

YES!!! And put me down for one please!!! :P

I would be extremely tempted!

Sold!

YYYEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS!

Very cool mug!!! to pricey for my budget thou...not that it's not worth it!

Yes, but only if it's ten feet tall.

I don't think it's a mug. More like a Coco Joe's right. Would be cool if it was a mug. I know my dad would tackle making one.

On 2008-07-30 17:35, teaKEY wrote:
I don't think it's a mug. More like a Coco Joe's right. Would be cool if it was a mug. I know my dad would tackle making one.

Hmm. Since Squid designed King Konga way back when, and since he's been known to design a mug or two, wouldn't it stand to reason...oh never mind.

Conga will do one of these, of course he will. Not much of a mugger, I
guess, cuz I'm not familiar with it.

Well, seeing as how I have been begging you for years to do it again Holden, put me down for one.

Oh, make a new silicone mold for that one. We need more of those.

Love it...count me in for one.

I would definitely buy one.

wow a totally great idea. I would like one!

Yes, please!

I am a Canadian. king konga of TIKI farm is looked for. Please sell king konga.
Thank you for a comment.
Please become a tiki friend.

In my opinion, this is an example of too much human-like naturalism in Tiki sculpture. The essence of original Polynesian and other primitive art is abstraction in the cubist and modernist style, while maintaining a physical dynamic. This is why "primitive" art inspired the moderns of the 1920s in the first place, it was breaking with the naturalism of Western art. And this is where later the mid-century designers picked up from to put their spin on the art form. To marry a human body with a Tiki head is caricature and cartoon at best, but the same concept would be so much more compelling if it was done in a stylized, simplified, cubist way.

On 2008-07-30 23:57, bigbrotiki wrote:
In my opinion, this is an example of too much human-like naturalism in Tiki sculpture. The essence of original Polynesian and other primitive art is abstraction in the cubist and modernist style, while maintaining a physical dynamic.

I agree with Bigbro's assessment as it relates to tiki in the wild. However, since this is a "Farm-raised®" tiki, it is subject to hybridization and other anomalies of breeding.

In a post on the Collecting Tiki forum, Bigbro provided this quote:

The Skull -- Mortality Unmasked
"The opposite of the mask is the skull. The face of the person is a fleshy skin worn between the two. People who deny the person as made in the image of God directly, and individually created and loved by Him, will seek either of these exits to being truly human -- the mask which covers the mortal man or the skull which is left after mortal man has departed..."

I feel King Konga represents this mortality, and the head incorporates both the mask and the skull. It is a low-brow interpretation of the duality of the primitive soul, supported and embraced by the human form.

I'd get one.

count me in!!i want one.

On 2008-07-30 23:57, bigbrotiki wrote:
In my opinion, this is an example of too much human-like naturalism in Tiki sculpture. The essence of original Polynesian and other primitive art is abstraction in the cubist and modernist style, while maintaining a physical dynamic. This is why "primitive" art inspired the moderns of the 1920s in the first place, it was breaking with the naturalism of Western art. And this is where later the mid-century designers picked up from to put their spin on the art form. To marry a human body with a Tiki head is caricature and cartoon at best, but the same concept would be so much more compelling if it was done in a stylized, simplified, cubist way.

Ah...ok,

What?

great! now my brain itches.

On 2008-07-30 23:57, bigbrotiki wrote:
In my opinion, this is an example of too much human-like naturalism in Tiki sculpture. The essence of original Polynesian and other primitive art is abstraction in the cubist and modernist style, while maintaining a physical dynamic. This is why "primitive" art inspired the moderns of the 1920s in the first place, it was breaking with the naturalism of Western art. And this is where later the mid-century designers picked up from to put their spin on the art form. To marry a human body with a Tiki head is caricature and cartoon at best, but the same concept would be so much more compelling if it was done in a stylized, simplified, cubist way.

Oh, more compelling like this:

:)

I vote for a Voodoo Grog Glass reproduction.
Holden has mentioned that the machine that bonds the tiki masks to the glass was lost in Mexico several years ago. Would Tiki Farm be able to reproduce the glass using today's production facilities?

(As seen in Doctor Z's collection)

Yes put us down for one, we have been after one for years, and kept pestering Squid if he had spares left, but no joy! So yes please Holden, do it!

Please add me to the list.

Quote:
"In my opinion, this is an example of too much human-like naturalism in Tiki sculpture. The essence of original Polynesian and other primitive art is abstraction in the cubist and modernist style, while maintaining a physical dynamic. This is why "primitive" art inspired the moderns of the 1920s in the first place, it was breaking with the naturalism of Western art. And this is where later the mid-century designers picked up from to put their spin on the art form. To marry a human body with a Tiki head is caricature and cartoon at best, but the same concept would be so much more compelling if it was done in a stylized, simplified, cubist way."

I can't speak for anybody else, but one reason I like Tiki is for the art of kitsch. To me, kitsch means that you can allow the image to evolve and become whatever, whether it's campy, naive, or what. It doesn't necessarily mean it automatically cheapens it. I also like Tiki for the serious history so I have a healthy respect for the meanings and traditions. But I don't think there's anything wrong with an artist making what he enjoys and if it provokes a good response then so be it.

Crap, I did a t-shirt last week for a church that had an icon of Jesus holding a Krispy Kreme box filled with sheep. If that ain't cheap, I dunno what is.

Tikitees, you are right. BUT: This "kitschy", cartoony, campy form of Tiki imagery has become the prevalent one in the Tiki revival nowadays. It was all good and fun in the beginning, but if we don't want the Tiki revival to start going in circles because it is repeating the same cliche over and over again, we have to dig deeper and look for WHY mid-century Tiki art could be considered so creative and unique in the first place. That is what I tried to do with Tiki Modern:
After proving that Tiki was POP art in the Book of Tiki, now I want to remind people that it was ART, too, not Pop only. Otherwise, as I said before, Tiki will become just another 50s cliche like Marylin Monroe and pink Cadillac tail fins.

On 2008-07-31 23:36, bananabobs wrote:

On 2008-07-30 23:57, bigbrotiki wrote:
In my opinion, this is an example of too much human-like naturalism in Tiki sculpture. The essence of original Polynesian and other primitive art is abstraction in the cubist and modernist style, while maintaining a physical dynamic.

Ah...ok,
What?
great! now my brain itches.

It's not as intellectual as you think. The words say what they mean:

Naturalism = Like NATURE, for example like the natural human form

Cubist = Like CUBES: Hard edges and simple, blocky forms

Abstraction = Non-realist, non-naturalist

modernist = modern

dynamic = not still, not dead, alive, energetic

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2008-08-01 16:35 ]

Hey Bigbrotiki, you make it all sound so logical, have you ever thought about compiling your ideas and perhaps writing a book? Or two?

Sorry I just couldn't resist and don't know how to put those smile face things on my post.

Bosko

-Still gots mine from back when 50 pieces of anything sold very slowly...

And not to disrespect anyone, but modern/pop/cliched or not, King Konga's collectability and desireability cannot be denied. Those who wish to own this classic sculpture should not have to pay thru the nose on eBay to get him.

Whip 'em up, Holden!

And I want to make sure that I am not singling out this specific piece, which undoubtedly has its merits, but that I am posting my opinion as a general effort to inspire Tikiphiles to look and think about the state of Tiki art, and the direction it is taking.

This is a cool piece by many standards, but also a good example of a "humanized" Tiki figure, that's why I am using it to make my point ( I am more partial to the Marquesan drummer on page 56 of Tiki Modern). I think that for today's artist the temptation of modern production techniques that make things easier is leading away from rough hewn primitivism, and dangerously close to resin art realism of the Dungeons and Dragons type. --

And again, I am not talking about this specific figure, I know that at the time it was produced it was a difficult job, which is why the number stayed low. Holden has the best grab on what sells and what not of anyone I know, and that will certainly dictate his decision, no matter what art critics say :)

Sounds like no matter what it may be called, Everyone wants another one or two and it seems you should Crank it UP!

I would like one also. :)

SVEN , If you wrote a book, I'd buy it.

On 2008-08-02 12:27, bigbrotiki wrote:
I think that for today's artist the temptation of modern production techniques that make things easier is leading away from rough hewn primitivism, and dangerously close to resin art realism of the Dungeons and Dragons type. --

Those Dungeons and Dragons folk have been asking for it. I say we give them a good old fashioned Cubist beat-down!

Now that is funny! Genius, thank you :lol:

Discussion on style and art influences are great, and the complexity of all the elements that Tiki sprang from is why it has such an appeal to highly creative and people with above average intelligence.

But this thread was specifically started as a query by MakeDaMug as to whether there is a viable interest in a re-release of King Konga

Discussions of the sculpture itself would be ideally made in a separate thread. Why? Because it lets this thread serve its intended purpose and it would create another thread where the focus could be entirely about what is and isn't Tiki. (Have we ever tried such a thread?) (Oh, wink.)

When every thread becomes a free for all of posting whatever thought anyone has it dilutes the excellent data base Tiki Central should be.

Yep, I'm repeating myself, but we all tend to do that around here.

PS: This wasn't an attempt to defend the King Konga sculpture from criticism. It's a well executed piece that I don't personally care for. Mainly for all the reasons cited by bigbrotiki.

Alright then, let's just make threads with check off boxes, that'll really increase the content value of TC.