Aloha! Did you watch Shed of the Year the other day? Did you see the shed done up all Hawaiian surfer style? Superb wasn’t it? Inspired by this Polynesian pleasure palace and having recently read about Gonzo’s high jinks in Hawaii I’m now prime for some pacific pop art in my life. Much as I’d like to check out the current Tiki exhibition happening at Musée du quai Branly in Paris, I’m far too busy putting issue 16 of Proper together so instead have plumped for the book version from Taschen. Published in connection with the exhibition Tiki Pop traces the development of this all encompassing brand of exotica. From James Cook’s arrival in the pacific, through Gauguin’s exotic artwork to Hollywood jungle fantasies and elaborate temples as well as it’s ultimate downfall via negative association with the big bad colonialism. As I’m sure you know by now nobody else does kitsch or Americana as well as Taschen and this is a shining example of just how good a job they do, all killer, no filler and lots of factual info for when you get bored of looking at the pictures. Not that you ever will, you’ll be too busy down the bottom of your garden making your own monument to Mai Tai. Buy it HERE.
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