Oceanic Art, SDMA, Jan. 31, 2009-Jan. 3, 2010

I just saw this listed on the San Diego Museum of Art website. It's under the "Future Exhibitions" section.

Oceanic Art
January 31, 2009–January 3, 2010
Organized by SDMA, this exhibition features approximately 70 artworks that represent ancient Oceanic traditions from Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. The works on view come from public and private collections and include a variety of three-dimensional objects full of cultural and social meaning that still function within Oceanic cultures today. Included are elaborate, hand-carved sculptures representing ancestors and gods, jewelry, weapons, cooking tools, and more.

How sweeeet is that!! Thanks for posting!

Cool I can't wait, I know they did one way back in the 60's Sven has a great book they put out in conjunction with it.

Thanks for posting this,

Bosko

**FIELDTRIP! **

Wow, that sounds great. Time for an Urban Tiki Safari to SD~!

Great news!

bimp

I'm really excited for this! We have added it to our list of things to do on our tiki road trip next summer.

Has anyone seen the Exhibition ?

Sounds great!

Here's some interesting discount admission info from the DSMA website:

"Museum Month

During the entire month of February, pick up a free Museum Month pass at any San Diego County Macy's and receive half-off admission at 33 participating San Diego County Museums, including SDMA."

Regular adult admission is 10.00, so this gets you in for five bucks!

There's also a catalog available from this exhibit! Yay!

http://www.sdmart.org/exhibition-oceanic-art-a-celebration-of-form.html

I went to this today and took pictures.

Yep, those are the only pictures. The picture nazi's were in full force at the museum. I couldn't get a shot off. To be honest, it wasn't too overwhelming. I wouldn't make the trip down to SD just for the show. They had a few pieces, but not too much. Maybe 100 total? Most of it was Melanesian and stuff from Papua New Guinea. There was a little bit from New Zealand.

Now if you enjoy Balboa Park as much as I do, then of course go. I look fro any excuse to go down there. Especially on Sundays when the big pipe organ is playing.

"Picture Nazis"? I'll be the first to admit I'm a country bumpkin and don't spend much time in museums, but when I went to the Met in NYC last fall they allowed us to take all the non-flash pictures we wanted.

On 2009-02-08 19:53, MadDogMike wrote:
"Picture Nazis"? I'll be the first to admit I'm a country bumpkin and don't spend much time in museums, but when I went to the Met in NYC last fall they allowed us to take all the non-flash pictures we wanted.

From that SDMA link:

"The exhibition is accompanied by an illustrated, 128-page scholarly catalogue written by George Ellis and ** published by the San Diego Museum of Art.**"

I knew that as soon as I saw that line in the show description that they wouldn't let you take any pictures. I guess they consider picture taking to be like robbing them of their catalog sales. We should steal a catalog from the gift shop and post it online just to show them greedy bastards!

Stealing is part of our Tiki heritage. Just pretend it's an old Don the Beachcomber menu.
Buzzy Out!

Yeah, they only allow you to photograph in the rooms that have the permanent collection in them. The Oceanic Arts are in 2 rooms that are opened up to each other. There was a person in each room watching, and no way to hide a camera. Like you said, it's because of the catalogue. Plus the pieces are from 3 private collections, so that has something to do with it too.

The SDMArt website doesn't list a price for this catalog, is it reasonable?

I waited to go into the gift shop... the lady never showed up. I gave up after waiting 15 minutes. (and this was after I walked the entire museum). I never got to check the price on the catalogue.

The exhibit is very nice and yes there is plenty of whimsical Sepik art. Kinda like walking around in Kinny's brain and who wouldn't wanna do that, but there's also a fine selection of rarities from the Solomons, New Ireland, Fiji, the Australs, Cooks, Marquesas, Rapa Nui, Hawaii and New Zealand as well as a few curious additions from the Philippines and Taiwan that seem to fit well in this exhibitor's particular vision. If wonderful examples of exotic Pacific Figures, Tapas, Jewelry, Ceramics and Weaponry are of any interest to you I'd recommend visiting the SDMA.

Curator Ellis' pedigree is indisputable and the exhibit catalog is a respectable 130 page full color affair. Well worth the twenty bucks if you ask me and you've really got to $upport these things if San Diego is to deserve such exhibitions in the future.

BTW, Just across the hall is an installation of African female imagery from antiquity to the contemporary. There's ALSO an interesting exhibit at the Museum of Man called Gods & Gold with breathtaking displays of historic Mezo American art and sculpture AND upstairs there's a few hundred Peruvian skulls.

Not a wasted afternoon.

i too, got busted by the Picture Nazis. i did get one snapshot, then i got a lecture. then i tried again and was admonished harshly.. oops. heh.

this is a nice exhibit, nothing as wonderful as the deYoung's permenant Oceanic Arts wing. its great that they offer a book, at a reasonable price. 20 dollars. nice! and souvineer postcards for free!

deYoung only had the 2 volume, 400 dollar book.

i need to get down there!!!!!
Anyone up here in OC wanna drive?
We should get an OC Tiki crew roadtrip down there!

LLT,
I usually go down to SD once or twice a month.
but its for surf shows,so if you want to car pool, you'd have to see the bands too, or just sit in the truck.

I'm heading down there sun. March 29th.
if they are open on a sun.
the show I am gonna see is sun evening at 4 pm ish.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

I'm always open to a road trip, but my calendar is getting pretty full for the next couple of months. 1. Museum exhibit, 2. go visit and shop at Freaky Boutiki, 3. dinner and lovely cocktails at Bali Hai . . . maybe meet up with some of the San Diego TC peeps? THAT sounds like a perfect day! Any takers?

MUSEUM HOURS
Tuesday through Saturday,
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

LOCATION
San Diego Museum of Art
1450 El Prado
Balboa Park
San Diego, California

[ Edited by: Kiki von Tiki 2009-03-19 10:42 ]

Well, the show is up til 2010
so we all got plenty of time!
a caravan day may be quite fun
but sorry Jeff
most surf bands get on my nerves....
like you!
:lol:

then stop hugging me, every time we see each other.
:o

Jeff(bigtikidude)

i can't!
I hate going to Disneyland
but love to hug EEYORE...

and you're the next best thing!
:)

I went Tuesday. Every third Tuesday this museum is free. There was a lot of Melanesia art, but overall there was a lot of great stuff. We followed a docent training another woman as a tour guide, so I found out a lot of interesting facts that I wouldn't have otherwise known. The placards listed by the items are pretty lacking on info, so I would suggest a tour or buy the $20 book to go into the exhibit with to make it more informational.
Here's the free postcard image-Don't forget to grab one by the door on your way in or out. I had a hard time finding them-they were kinda hidden.

On 2009-02-08 20:32, Bay Park Buzzy wrote:
I knew that as soon as I saw that line in the show description that they wouldn't let you take any pictures. I guess they consider picture taking to be like robbing them of their catalog sales. We should steal a catalog from the gift shop and post it online just to show them greedy bastards!

Stealing is part of our Tiki heritage. Just pretend it's an old Don the Beachcomber menu.

Which always brings to mind WHAT amount of robbery and stealing was going on to obtain these original pieces, and how do the original native artists feel about the value increase that they have no benefit from.

That's why I always say go with Polynesian (and Oceanic) pop, it is American made, and most of the designs are altered by the mainland artists, so there is no appropriation of design issue. :)

I checked out the exhibit the a couple of days ago. It seems a little small (100 objects) and heavily PNG (that's OK, I like PNG). But it's well rounded in the variety of objects shown (masks, figures, weapons, tapa, etc)

I bought the 128 page catalog for $25, it will make a nice addition to my research library. OK, it's the first book in my "research library" :) Big, beautiful, clear photos and a little blurb on each object. No Buzzy, I won't scan and post the whole catalog, but if someone wants something scanned, let me know (better send me a PM, I may not see it here)

Le BUMP!