Tiki Modern now available for pre-order! (But only in Europe for now)

Hey, guess what's appeared on Amazon.co.uk! Now available for pre-order at £16.49 (34% saving) in the hardback format. I've ordered mine.......you know what to do.

Trader Woody

[ Edited by: Trader Woody 2006-12-22 09:54 ]

Since most of us on TC are located in the states, does anyone know when it will be available for pre-order through Amazon.com?

On 2006-12-22 08:56, Tiki-Kate wrote:
Since most of us on TC are located in the states, does anyone know when it will be available for pre-order through Amazon.com?

Unless there's someone here that works for Amazon, it's highly unlikely.

In my experience, Amazon.uk & Amazon.com are fairly well synchronised, so I imagine it will appear over there sooner rather than later.

But hey - look, there's the cover! There's a publishing date!

Trader Woody

WAKE THE CHILDREN,PHONE THE NIEGHBORS. YOU WILL LAUGH,YOU WILL CRY ,YOU WILL RUB YOUR EYES IN DISBELIEF.

On 2006-12-22 09:11, Trader Woody wrote:

But hey - look, there's the cover! There's a publishing date!

Yes. That's fabulous. Love the synopsis.

Yes. That's fabulous. Love the synopsis.

OK - obviously not such exciting news to you, but there's a sizable number of people on here who live outside of the US.

What's more important is that fact that a major Tiki book has lifted it's head and given us a glance of what's to come (and when it's coming).

I guess I'll have to change the topic title to save valuable clicking time.
Shrug

Trader Woody

[ Edited by: Trader Woody 2006-12-22 10:42 ]

On 2006-12-22 09:52, Trader Woody wrote:

Yes. That's fabulous. Love the synopsis.

OK - obviously not such exciting news to you, but there's a sizable number of people on here who live outside of the US.

[ Edited by: Trader Woody 2006-12-22 09:53 ]

No. Seriously. This is fabulous news. I didn't mean to sound apathetic or indifferent. I'm totally Happy Happy Happy. No, I'm not being sarcastic. Fabulous is not a word to be thrown about lightly. Cool, maybe. But not fabulous.

I've been hearing about this book since Sven's slide show at Oasis II back in 2002. I am genuinely excited. I was just hoping for some pre-order info for the U.S. members of TC. Honestly, didn't mean to offend.

Apologies Tiki-Kate - I got the wrong end of the stick. My wife is from Liverpool, so I've always got the "Sarcast-o-meter" set on max!

Trader Woody

Woody, thank you! I missed this post because of the holidays...I had no idea!

And I must put an immediate damper on this: March is very unlikely as a publishing date, there will be yet another delay:

After I thought I was all done, with the writing and the layout finished, and it all going into production, (the same way I had laid out the Book of Tiki, all MY way), my dear publisher surprised me by re-negging on the promise of printing it my way. Now an in-house designer is streamlining it to a more "clean" look (white pages, no colored and very few textured backgrounds), supposedly to make it look more "modern".

In my opinion, all white pages mean more "boring". I cannot go too deeply into the details of the pro and cons, (a different look than the BOT might be OK), but I am still oscillating between anger and acceptance of having to redo it all. I just want it to be done!

With me and the designer hacking it out thru January, we are now talking "out" by early summer at best, meaning IN the stores.

I have to give the publisher credit, for without the quality and amount of full color pages for that price, combined with its world-wide distribution, the BOT's impact would not have been the same.

The sad truth is: After its out there, nobody will know the difference, or what it could have been...

Sounds to me that,

The "Designer",

is banging the Publisher!!

Taschen!?!?!

You have loads of cool books!!!

Let "this artist" do it his way!!!

How many BOT's have you sold to date!!??

Keep the "Designer" and the "White Pages"

to the General Public Art Books!!!!!!!!

Arrrr--RRR!!!!!

Even tesco have it on their site
http://www.tesco.com/books/product.aspx?R=3822847178&bci=380%7CArt%20History*23%7CComing%20Soon*4294967259%7CEnglish

This is very exciting news! I look forward to summer even more than I usually do.

I feel your pain bigbro!

I've had to work with some publishers in the past that "art directed" projects after the concept and art was signed off. Needless to say, after endless flamed emails and threats of pulling the project, we usually found a middle ground acceptable for both parties.

Unfortunately, in the publishing field, it's pretty rare for one person to have artist control over the entire project without the publisher editing the content to some extent (editorial or artistic). Consider yourself lucky that they didn't do that to the BOT, despite its brilliance.

If I were you, I'd negotiate with the publisher to see if you can proof the layouts as they are completed to provide commentary if necessary or to sign-off. You should remind the publisher that this book is your vision and its not just about layout aesthetics, but also intent of content. That might get their attention and it will also allow you to keep some control. Then develop some sort of friendly, direct communication with the designer working on the project to keep them receptive to "artistic suggestions" by you. If you can swing it this way, I think you and the publisher will find some middle ground.

BTW, I can't wait to see the book and your work. I have a place reserved on my shelf right next to BOT. Cheers and good luck!

Thank you. Luckily it's not as bad as they taking it and re-doing it without me. Since I got back into town, I am working WITH their designer, who is a cool kid. But he has to follow the parameters given to him. There is repeated conflict between MY visual story-flow of the images (combined with my desire to keep the text relating to them on the same double page), and THEIR new lay out principles. But my main fight is not to loose too many images, and so far that has been going OK.

Also, I had put all these background textures in the BOT and then cluttered them with objects so people would feel like actually stepping into a Tiki Lounge. For Tiki Modern, I had a concept that built on that with modern lava rock b.g.s and other materials, but they find that too "cheesy".
Thing is, Tiki was once considered cheesy, too. Until someone comes along and employs a "bad taste" concept in a daring and new way, it will stay just that. But once used in a new fashion, "cheesy" can quickly turn to "cool", and everybody is grateful for the new perspective. You just have to have the vision. In this case they don't.

I am looking forward to my next book after this, with Outre Galleries, where I can go hog wild with aloha shirt patterns and graphics...

This new follow-up book, which brings together the two recent retro trends of mid-century modernism and Tiki style, is bound to lift the Tiki craze to a new level.

so this is BOT2 ? All new everything. The next chaper in the BOT? What? Whats in it and why didn't we hear about it. I knew that the Witco book was coming out and I thought that it was Svens next book. I just hope that there aren't three Langs. in it. But if it made, whats done it done.

On 2006-12-29 14:55, teaKEY wrote:
so this is BOT2 ? All new everything. The next chaper in the BOT? What? Whats in it and why didn't we hear about it. I knew that the Witco book was coming out and I thought that it was Svens next book. I just hope that there aren't three Langs. in it. But if it made, whats done it done.

It is indeed unfortunate that Amazon does not list the full title of the book:

"TIKI MODERN and the Wild World of Witco"

but, as you certainly have read:

"...Kirsten shows us how primitivism and modernism were two sides of the same coin in the 1950s and 60s. Decor deities and ersatz ancestors outrageously merged in the modern brutalist furniture from the house of WITCO, a company that outfitted Elvis Presley's Jungle Room and Hugh Hefner's Chicago Playboy pool..."

which means that in the first half of the book I am chronicling the convergence of primitivism and modernism in the 20th Century, and how Tiki evolved from it (with SOME examples of Witco);
and (after thus providing the context for it) the second half of Tiki Modern showcases the history of Witco as a prime example of that phenomenon.

And of course there will be tri-lingual captions, and the German and French translations in the back, so that Taschen can keep the price down by getting American AND European distribution in one printing.

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2006-12-29 16:39 ]

Hello Big Bro,
Spring or early summer, Lava Rock background or not I’m still really excited about the book coming out. Will there be any events to coincide with the release? Will you be doing a book tour? And is there any Witco left at the former Chicago Playboy mansions pool?

1.) I certainly hope so

2.) That will all depend on my work schedule in Germany this summer

3.) As far as I know Playboy has left the building, so I doubt it. Witco was considered temporary, expendable decor.

Thanks Bigbro,

I look forward to the book and the one after that.

Hardcover
250 pages
June 2007
German, French, English

http://www.amazon.de/Tiki-Modern-Sven-Kirsten/dp/3822847178/sr=1-2/qid=1167986282/ref=sr_1_2/303-4727769-7841826?ie=UTF8&s=books

Topics merged!

Oh, haven't seen that!

Amazon now has it listed for Sept. '07 in the U.S. :evil:

An incredible year for Tiki tomes.

Tiki Road Trip and Tiki Modern. I don't know if my coffee table is big enough.

I've seen this book on Amazon for the last several weeks and have been tempted to pre-order it from them, but then I thought: Is this the best way for Sven? What is BigBro's preferred source we order from? Or put another way, which source pays the biggest commission to the author? Or, is Amazon good?

JP

Perhaps we might be able to order signed copies from Sven, like you could with "Tiki Quest".

Hmmm....maybe, eventually, when I have my Kon-Id gallery website up, I actually should be selling it there, signed. But to make sure you get it asap, you should go Amazon. And thank you for thinking of me, but commission-wise I am getting some minute percent of Taschen" sales (better than the "zero" for the BOT!), so it is only quantity that adds up, not where obtained.

Book signing party with cash only sales! Silverlake here I come!!!!!

On 2006-12-28 20:33, RevBambooBen wrote:
Sounds to me that,
The "Designer",
is banging the Publisher!!

Does she have a sister?

(collect your fee as you exit Unga.)

On 2007-05-18 11:42, atomictonytiki wrote:
Perhaps we might be able to order signed copies from Sven, like you could with "Tiki Quest".

Is "Sven new school tiki" or "old school tiki" ( like oceanic art's, mugs.........)????

Shipping or not!?

would be the question!

I pre-ordered but would be very interested in a signed copy as well.

On 2007-05-18 23:15, RevBambooBen wrote:
Is "Sven new school tiki" or "old school tiki"

I dunno, lately I just feel OLD.

I've pre-ordered my copy on amazon. :D

The confirmation says, "Delivery estimate: September 11, 2007 - September 13, 2007".

So I guess I have a while to wait. :(

I just received the Spring/Summer Taschen catalog in the mail today. 127 pages of the best eye candy around - and inside was a 4 page spread on the new Tiki Modern book. One was a full page photo of a Witco gun rack and throne chair (in a room done with orange Shag carpeting) - and when you turn the page, there is a full page photo of the Kahiki fireplace.

The Taschen website finally has their page up for Tiki Modern. Make sure you go through the 7 pages of examples from the book.
http://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/books/popculture/new/facts/03881.htm

The Taschen catalog also had some previews of their large format books coming soon, neither listed on their website yet. I have my sights set on a 3 volume set titled 'Jules Shulman: Modernism Rediscovered', a followup to the earlier book with the same name.

The other is titled 'Diego Rivera: The Complete Murals' murals will also likely be good - the images in the catalogue look great, and it turns out that Rivera also did a mural for San Francisco's International Golden Gate Exposition. So between Covarrubias and Rivera, I may soon have a Mexican mural thing going on.

Vern

Until someone comes along and employs a "bad taste" concept in a daring and new way, it will stay just that. But once used in a new fashion, "cheesy" can quickly turn to "cool", and everybody is grateful for the new perspective. You just have to have the vision. In this case they don't.

..sounds like a job for ..."SUPERTIPSY"!!!!!!

...awright!!!.....i'll do it!!!

Hey Sven -- just curious, does Amazon provide you with pre-order stats? If so, how's the new book "selling"?

http://www.amazon.com/Tiki-Modern-Sven-Kirsten/dp/3822847178/ref=pd_bbs_3/103-7367459-8215822?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1185382187&sr=8-3

No idea, nobody tells me nuthin' around here....neither Amazon nor Taschen. Well who would wanna buy a book that is in GERMAN, anyway! (see under "Language") And only 250 Pages! (it's actually 336)

Well they DO have a good price for it. And on their preview pages you still have a last chance to see the OLD lay out, before it got white-walled.

The cover is not going to be padded, but CLOTH, with no dust cover. :) I have never seen a sample, so I do not know if it will be a slick, plastiky cloth imprint type of surface, or REAL, rough, hairy cloth.....or somewhere in between.

And the size will be slightly larger than the BOT......which I had used as a template to write the text, and after all was laid out, they suddenly decided to make the book much larger! Which blew up the damn type so much that it looked like text in a children's book! I mean all TikiphiIes are arrested in childhood, but don't rub it in! I had a mild panic attack, and so they shrunk it back a little, but not to BOT size.

I will know more (and will post some pics) once I have my own advance copy. Don't ask me when that will be, though.

Can't wait for it! With the recent new Tiki Road Trip and Sippin' Safari, this is going to be a great year for Tiki-themed books!

Well they DO have a good price for it. And on their preview pages you still have a last chance to see the OLD lay out, before it got white-walled.

Really, the pages are gonna have those big white borders? That's really too bad - when I saw the preview pics on Amazon I was so happy to see that you were creating an atmosphere again on the pages, just like you did with the BOT. Very few books accomplish that as effectively, where the nature of the layout goes so well with the content.

-Randy

Well, to many people in the book business the BOT lay out seemed too "cluttered", and I was sort of lucky that Taschen was just opening shop in the US when I did my first book, and so I got to fly under the radar with my heavily layered, textured design.

I tried it again this time, but it was too far away from the "TASCHEN house-look" and it got shot down. And so now there are only very few pages that have a colored or textured background (I hope they got those right, at least.)

The reasoning was that too much background would diminish the impact of the images...which is debatable. To me, all white pages are just boring. But don't worry, it will not look empty, this book is so densely packed with eye candy that one hardly notices. I got to squeeze one hundred images more than the BOT into it. :)

P.S.: Taschen just opened their second TASCHEN STORE in L.A., at the Farmer's Market on Fairfax, in the clock tower.

White pages, thats modern for you.

Exactly! That's the kind of modernism I find uninteresting, white or empty space, and those spartan, clean, straight lines. It all had its value when it was new and rose up against extraneous ornamental kitsch, but nowadays this concept of "modern" has been abused too much, to save money and build cheap and boring boxes. That's where primitivism comes in, to break up that stiff monotony.

I am looking forward to do "The Look of Tiki" with Martin McIntosh next, where I will be able to go all out with textures and patterns and colors, it will be a clutter fest!

On 2007-07-25 19:30, bigbrotiki wrote:
Exactly! That's the kind of modernism I find uninteresting, white or empty space, and those spartan, clean, straight lines. It all had its value when it was new and rose up against extraneous ornamental kitsch, but nowadays this concept of "modern" has been abused too much, to save money and build cheap and boring boxes. That's where primitivism comes in, to break up that stiff monotony.

I am looking forward to do "The Look of Tiki" with Martin McIntosh next, where I will be able to go all out with textures and patterns and colors, it will be a clutter fest!

You need to get with Wayne Coombs and help him finish his "Book of Tacky"...

I, for one, am excited to finally get my grubby mitts on this book

Thanks Brian. And after all is said and done, I think it will be a very nice object of desire.

exciting news, and the preview pics look tasty indeed... can't wait to get my grubby hands on a copy.

for the unfortunate few stuck in the southern hemisphere like myself, is amazon the best way to get a copy? I'm in Argentina at the moment, but am going back to Australia in a month. Do you know if any bookstores in Buenos Aires will be receiving a copy?

I'm sure Outre gallery in Australia will be getting copies - i see you are planning to do a book with them next?? very intersting!