Post #624521 by Badd Tiki on Fri, Feb 10, 2012 3:01 PM

On 2012-02-08 09:46, bigbrotiki wrote:

On 2011-11-09 11:42, tigertail777 wrote:
Always amazed with the insane creativity of your works.

Absolutely! The craftsmanship and vision in your work is outstanding, your style is unique and singular. And because Van Tiki mugs have a big following and are snapped for the big bucks such handmade art deserves, I feel secure that it will do no harm to ask that question that comes up for me again and again when I see a piece such as the drum above:

Where is that "Tiki"? It is skillful and creative, indeed. But as genre, it is "fantasy sculpture","rock monster", Marvel's "The Thing", a combination of sculpture such as this

It's not Polynesian pop, it's polyresin pop. Big teeth and frowning faces alone do not make a Tiki. There is a form language in Tiki art, new and old, that draws from three elements: original Oceanic Art, 20th century modern art, and -YES-, cartoons. Of the three, the vast field of Oceanic art is the essential element to separate Tiki Style form the genres I mention above. Again, I am NOT talking about slavish copying of authentic or mid-century pieces, but if there is no spark of the initial culture it is supposed to represent left, why would it be labeled with that title?

I am sorry I have to repeat myself, but I am here to present a differentiated, informed view of the art form of American Tiki style, and it seems to me that it is necessary to remind folks of what it is all about from time to time.

But isn't ALL American Tiki this? Whether it's a copy or authentic tiki or wild and creative new styles, it's all 'fake'.

Real tiki was simply a few carvings of The God's. It was done for the purpose of paying respects to those God's. So it was all meticulous copies of the same stuff.
Once it become 'pop culture' I think that was pretty much lost. Does anyone here carve tiki as a religous symbol?

You can put a spin on any art style, and if it's roots are still there that will be noticed.

While Van Tiki's mugs have strayed pretty far from 'original tiki' they still maintain a very strong impression of the tiki God's. I don't think you could look at any of these mugs and mistake them for something else.
Where as the pics of the skull and elephant you showed could never be mistaken as having tiki/Pacific influence.