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Waikiki Tiki; Art, History and Photographs OFFICIAL THREAD |
msteeln
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 24, 2008
Posts: 236
From: Ka'a'awa, HI
|  Posted: 2012-01-04 01:47 am Permalink
Phillip, for me one of the more pressing issues that (I've posted somewhere previously) you might be able to have better luck documenting is the stunning '50s era mural inside the Bowl-O-Drome near University Ave. The mauka wall is covered with a great kitschy depiction of the Royal family enjoying a day outside, complete with menehune stealing just caught fish, and similar quirkiness. That the alley hasn't been torn down yet may be the gods preserving this invauable item long enuf for someone like yourself to gain entrance and capture in detail. It's a shame the wall can't be salvaged completely, but the next best thing is a photo-doc. Maybe you've been there and know exactly what I'm talking about. I think Kamehameha Schools is owner of the property. In fact, the whole building should be saved as it's the perfect representation of a great post-war bowling alley, the best I've ever seen.
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Phillip Roberts
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 09, 2003
Posts: 1486
From: OAHU, Hawaii.
| Posted: 2012-01-04 10:41 am Permalink
Aloha,
It was on this thread... one well worth reading on Polynesian Murals and Dioramas. In fact, someone should bump it up. Hint, hint.
http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/bb/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=23096&forum=1&start=0&hilite=Bowl%20o%
i've been trying to gain access to that for years now.
I shall try again.
_________________
Waikiki Tiki; Art, History, and Photographs.
Available now from Bess Press Hawaii.
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msteeln
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 24, 2008
Posts: 236
From: Ka'a'awa, HI
| Posted: 2012-01-04 12:31 pm Permalink
Timing is usually everything. I'll bet if you hit it at just the right time and spoke to just the right person you'd get a shot at it regardless of probable legal restrictions, but when and who are the magic words. I doubt contacting the proper channels would be of benefit and could hamper your chances. Let's hope it's still in decent shape, I remember seeing a small portion having been compromised for a lighting fixture, and who knows what's happened since it closed permanently.
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Haole Jim
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 17, 2009
Posts: 395
From: central coast metro Chicago
| Posted: 2012-01-04 6:37 pm Permalink
Was gifted with Waikiki Tiki by a daughter at Christmas. What a great book!
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WaikikianMoeKele
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 25, 2008
Posts: 383
From: West Leroy, Pennsylvania
| Posted: 2012-01-05 8:06 pm Permalink
Phillip,
Thank you so much for the pic of the Tahitian Lanai! It's like finding a needle in a haystack to find pics from there and the Waikikian Hotel. I have faith that more will show up.
Mahalos!
~kele
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Phillip Roberts
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 09, 2003
Posts: 1486
From: OAHU, Hawaii.
| Posted: 2012-01-05 11:21 pm Permalink
Aloha,
Thanks Kele and Haole Jim,
Your feedback is important to me. And the research continues...
She's wearing one of A.J.'s locally carved sea urchin spines...
More later. I gotta wake up early.
_________________
Waikiki Tiki; Art, History, and Photographs.
Available now from Bess Press Hawaii.
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Phillip Roberts
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 09, 2003
Posts: 1486
From: OAHU, Hawaii.
| Posted: 2012-01-10 7:52 pm Permalink
Aloha,
While on a recent walking tour for some of our members, I tried (again) to capture the reflection of the PNG carving between the Waikiki Town Center and the International Market Place.
_________________
Waikiki Tiki; Art, History, and Photographs.
Available now from Bess Press Hawaii.
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Phillip Roberts
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 09, 2003
Posts: 1486
From: OAHU, Hawaii.
| Posted: 2012-01-14 2:25 pm Permalink
Aloha,
Doing a tour on Wednesday. Anyone like come? Meet at noon at the Banyan Tree at the Moana.
Got a little ink here, but it's mostly about others in Hawaii. Gecko, Brad, Lloyd, Thor, Okolemaluna, etc...
_________________
Waikiki Tiki; Art, History, and Photographs.
Available now from Bess Press Hawaii.
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The Sperm Whale
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 23, 2004
Posts: 1538
From: Lakewood California
| Posted: 2012-01-14 4:15 pm Permalink
If you are in town, you gotta do a Tiki Tour with Phil !! Proud of you buddy... I love your work !!
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Phillip Roberts
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 09, 2003
Posts: 1486
From: OAHU, Hawaii.
| Posted: 2012-01-21 9:00 pm Permalink
Aloha,
Quote:
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On 2012-01-04 01:47, msteeln wrote:
Phillip, for me one of the more pressing issues...
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I think this might ACTUALLY happen this coming week.
I have been pulling some taut strings. Tiptoeing really. Would you set aside a few hours on Friday morn? apparently there are TWO Murals that mom stagbar comissioned from Jacqualin Anderson circa 1954.
_________________
Waikiki Tiki; Art, History, and Photographs.
Available now from Bess Press Hawaii.
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msteeln
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 24, 2008
Posts: 236
From: Ka'a'awa, HI
| Posted: 2012-01-21 10:13 pm Permalink
I'm actually desperate to have a last viewing of this killer piece/s, and really appreciate your info/link, but the chances of me getting into town currently are nil. However, I commend your preservation efforts to the utmost, I'm sure you pulled some magical moves just to have any chance.
If you succeed, it'll be a major coup'.
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Phillip Roberts
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 09, 2003
Posts: 1486
From: OAHU, Hawaii.
| Posted: 2012-01-27 11:35 pm Permalink
Aloha!
Well, the condition of the place was just about what I expected... Pretty darn bad...
Central Pacific Bank Clock stopped at the time power went off at the instant it was closed...
A coconut fish suspended in a back room. Apparently there was a great deal more Tiki decoration here during the heyday of this place. Descriptions speak of many things long gone.
Balls...
There were plenty of 10-20 year old shoes lying around, but none in my size... Bummed about that... Rifled the files in the business office and found nothing of real interest. Moving on...
Poster...
Sign...
And of course it WAS A bowling alley...
There is some good news about the Bowlodrome... I'll let you in on that later...
On to the mural... which is what you care about...
Let's start with a full shot of the Diamondhead facing wall so you can see the context...
The artist signed her work... Jacquelyn Anderson, Waikiki...
As you can see, the damage is pretty extreme on the Makai side of the mural...
Eating poi to the strums of ukulele... (Of course, we all know the uke wouldn't have been here at this ancient village, having been introduced much later to the islands.)
And a Menehune stealing fish IS seen as we move Maulka...
I note that the mural had been covered with varnish at some point as a preservation measure (probably to save it from the cigarette smoke). It peeled away very easily. You can see the original blue colors of the pond from where I peeled away some. This must have been VERY vibrantly colored in 1954.
He's carrying a pig and she's playing ukulele.
Hula maidens rule! Their frolic is enchanting...
Hawaiian Bowling... U'lu maika is being depicted here with round lava rocks being thrown...
And the MONEY SHOT.
The Ewa wall of the Bowlodrome once contained another mural, long painted over... I found a few remnants of it under the peeling paint, I can only imagine the breath and scope of it. Perhaps a picture will one day surface...
Good news? Yes. Someone with money is thinking about restoring this space to it's pristine glory. We spoke a bit. He will, if all goes to plan, preserve as much of the old mural as possible and comission new works of art.
_________________
Waikiki Tiki; Art, History, and Photographs.
Available now from Bess Press Hawaii.
[ This Message was edited by: Phillip Roberts 2012-01-27 23:45 ]
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msteeln
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 24, 2008
Posts: 236
From: Ka'a'awa, HI
| Posted: 2012-01-28 09:09 am Permalink
Just friggin' WOW, Phillip, you da' man!
Tragic that it's damaged much more than I'd hoped but blessed it's as intact as it is. You got some great shots, and the isolation of the menehune is choice. The shellac probably retained it all these years so you could get the pix. It must have been spectacular in the days of our youth.
The fragments from the other mural suggests it wasn't by the same artist, and maybe wasn't so worthy of keeping. But, it's worth knowing.
And that there's a sugar daddy hoping to restore the place is another dream come true.
Thanx, Phillip!
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10557
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2012-01-28 10:00 am Permalink
Congratulations Phil, those are the great days in the life of an urban archeologist!
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mrsmiley
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Apr 03, 2002
Posts: 3153
From: Las Vegas, NV
| Posted: 2012-01-28 7:12 pm Permalink
WOW!!!!
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