I was reading an article on kitsch the other day. The writer commented that she recalled sitting in art class, listening to her teacher degrade examples of art by calling them kitsch - among other things. The teacher picked up a dictionary and quoted from it... "sentimental, vulgar ... pretentious and in bad taste." In a rare moment of rebellion, the writer raised her hand and asked, "doesn't that describe what others have said about great artists at one time or another?" The room went silent, and the teacher moved on to another topic. Artistic expression :1, artistic academia :0.
Hawaiiana refers to old new-hawaii. Anything from late 1800s to the early 1960s. Hawaiiana art is characterized by lush landscapes, sunsets and attractive women lounging in front of far off volcanoes. Drawn or painted in a romantic, art deco style (which places the bulk of it in the 1920s to 1950s) it was commonly used on steamliner and, later, on airline marketing materials. Its prominance in advertising is at least partially responsible for the label of "kitsch" that has been stamped on it. Completely irresistable to the adventurer hidden away in people, they inspired the masses to seek out the sandy, sun-kissed shores and set the tone for tiki bars and tropicana swag for decades.
Now those illustrations reflect a by-gone era. The adventure promised by various airline posters (predominantly Pan Am and United) has been diluted by modern conveniences designed to make our vacations more comfortable. The islands are easily accessible by a variety of methods. The resorts cater to every whim, thereby removing any sense of the exotic and adventure. It truly is the Last Resort (Eagles fans know what I'm talking about).
And yet, despite all efforts to the contrary, there is still adventure awaiting those who work at it. The iconic elements used in those illustrations still exist. The landscape is flush with tropical vegetation; many species are found nowhere else in the world. The volcanoes still impress as only a true force of nature will. The woman are still beautiful (thankfully some things will never change).
In my desk drawer I have a collection of postcards. I purchased them, while knowing I would never use them for their intended purpose. When I need a taste of the exotic to spice up a diet of mundane, I take them out and dream of far off lands. If it takes "kitsch" to supply that respite, I'll take it and am ever grateful for it.
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If you're looking for a timeout from the day-to-day, check out these selections of prints from a few online sources.
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I too have postcards that I never send. While I have many pictures from trips I have taken, a postcard bring out something special.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think there's something great about the small format and the "touristy" focus that makes postcards one of the world's great visual formats.
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