Sven A. Kirsten rolled in to talk about his fabulous “Book of Tiki” and an upcoming book signing at Oceanic Arts!
Book Signing is at OCEANIC ARTS in Whittier. If you’ve never been there before – go – it’s quite a rare experience!
The Book of Tiki is the definitive book on Tiki culture filled with history, factors, collectibles and magic of Tiki covered in tremendous detail. Amazing illustrations, photos, trivia, historical notes and more await all fans of Tiki culture. The book delves further into Tiki culture than any book this Tiki collector has ever seen. Simply a must buy for anyone who loves Tiki culture, or anyone looking to discover the magic of this “lost” time.
About Sven Kirsten
Sven Kirsten was conceived on a freighter of his grandfather’s Hamburg -Chicago line between Hamburg and America (these were long trips) and born in 1955 in the port city of Hamburg. He grew up in Germany, studying to be an artist. In 1975 he switched majors from art to film, studying camera in Berlin, and by 1980 moved from Berlin to San Francisco to enter the filmmaking program at the Art Institute. With the shorts he made there he got into American Film Institute in Los Angeles in 1982 and after that started working in music videos as a gaffer. His first clip was in 1987 Tom Waits’ “Blow Wind Blow”. He shot his first feature film, “Mistress” with Robert De Niro. Since then he has been shooting German cable TV movies in Germany, France and Prague. Sven resides in Silverlake, from where he follows his vocation as urban archeologist in between films. Inspired by it’s strange visuals, he has been on the track of Tiki since 1989. Many of the images in The Book of Tiki are from his personal collection. He tried to make a book about it since 1992, very much like the one out now, but was met with indifference by American publishers. Ironically a German publisher finally picked it up and the book was released in 2000.
Music Playlist:
- Theme Song: “Miracles From Molecules” by the Sherman Brothers (Available only at Disneyland!!!)
- Calendar Song: “Sorta Blue” The Music from Peter Gunn composed and conducted by Henry Mancini
- Closing Song: “Soul Bossa Nova” by Qunicy Jones off the album “Martini Madness”
- Plus some fabulous Hawaiiana and Tiki Music of course!
