We recently saw the “Plains Indians” exhibition at the Quai Branly Museum, just a few days before it closed (July 20th: too late for those who missed it!). It was a beautiful ethnographic exhibition about the American Indians, an idea of whom we mostly had a “false” perception of thanks to American westerns!

Coming out of that exhibition, we thought: “What if we did the ‘Tiki Pop‘ one too?”… me, super excited: “Uh… the expo where the poster has a bad copy of an Easter Island head with a Pinup?” He said: “Well yeah, it looks very good!”

So off we went to the museum mezzanine to see this exhibition I only knew from the poster. I told myself, after all, why not, although I was convinced it would please my man more than me… because of the Pinup, you see! Remember the subtitle: “America dreams of its Polynesian paradise“.

Quite a concept… And for me, a Tiki was a humanoid Polynesian representation (man or deity), in the form of a statuette that one could even buy as a pendant: like those jewels you bring back as souvenirs or the statues you see in museums, such as the bone ones exhibited in the halls of the Quai Branly.

So, nothing to do with what we saw on the poster… And well, think again! In the 50s and 60s, Americans dreamed of these islands and had a particular vision of them. To get an idea, take an Elvis Presley record with his flower necklace and ukulele and put it on in the background… stick some seashells and driftwood all around you, put sand under your feet, have a small cocktail with a colored umbrella, close your eyes… there, you’re almost there!

Ultimately, this exhibition is fascinating! I never imagined this whole kitschy and colorful culture, this Disney-esque island vibe that made thousands of Americans dream. Grandiose restaurants, paradisiacal hotels in the heart of California.

The scenography is particularly successful. I won’t say any more nor give you any pictures so that you can have the pleasure of discovering it yourself. But do take a look at the Quai Branly museum website to get a little idea…

You are plunged into another era (background sound and everyday objects) and into another world (films, unusual objects, sometimes even improbable ones for decoration, cocktail recipes that, for some, must have been painful the next morning).

In short, I l.o.v.e.d it! My only regret, despite the 400 objects presented, is that the visit will seem far too short, and you dream of lingering to savor one of those famous cocktails in a totally kitsch setting… yes, really, it transforms you.

For those who aren’t leaving for the islands this summer and want a change of scenery, I will quote in conclusion the words from the Quai Branly Museum brochure: “It’s up to you to succumb to the charms of the South Seas”.

Practical Information:

Quai Branly Museum / East Mezzanine

From Tuesday, June 24th to Sunday, September 28th, 2014

Full price €9 / reduced price €7

A quick reminder: the Quai Branly Museum does not open before 11 am and is closed on Mondays

GIVEAWAY:

Because I have a long-standing collaboration with the Quai Branly Museum, they are offering you the chance to win 6×2 invitations for the Tiki Pop temporary exhibition on the blog.

To participate, simply leave a comment below this article telling me if you are familiar with the Quai Branly Museum, if you have already been, and why you want to visit this exhibition.

A random draw will select the 6 winners of the invitations for 2 people among the participants who answered the question. Good luck to everyone!

Rules:

– Contest limited to Metropolitan France

– + 1 chance if you are a fan of the blog’s Facebook page; + 1 chance if you follow the blog’s Twitter page; + 1 chance if you follow the blog’s hellocoton page; + 1 chance if you follow the blog’s Instagram page; + 1 chance for each share of the contest (don’t forget to leave your username in your comment if you want to benefit from extra chance(s))

– 1 entry per IP address

– Transport to the exhibition venue is not included in the prize

– Contest start date: Friday, August 1st, 2014 – deadline for participation: Saturday, August 9th, 2014, with results the following day on the blog in an edit to this article

EDIT from August 10th, 2014:

Following the random draw, I am pleased to announce that the 6 winners of the invitations for 2 people to the Tiki Pop exhibition at the Quai Branly Museum are: leeloo751706, Sheily, Juliette, dulcine92, warren, and Alexandra.

Congratulations to you all! I will be contacting you shortly by email so you can provide me with your details.

Thank you everyone for your many entries and for your enthusiasm for this prize, and I can already announce that there will be a new contest on the blog very soon!