Artist Profile: Tiki Racer

Artist Profile: Tiki Racer

A heady cocktail of lowbrow exotica Tiki hotrod art rooted in a love of toys, films, music and fashion from the fifties and sixties


Yep, that's Tiki Racer, an artist with whom regular readers of this blog should be quite familiar. He helped make Zombruary 2007 more interesting and put a ton of thought and elbow grease into the Tiki London project. In fact, content about, by or because of Tiki Racer has at times been integral to this blog ... which is a good thing because I really like his art.



He's prolific too, and that impresses me. From designing the logo and menu (and even mugs) for one of London's hottest night clubs to dabbling in lino, TR seems to have the uncanny sense of getting his head round just about any new medium he decides to tinker with.

Visit the Polynesian speedster online at tikiracer.com. Go!

Tiki London Posters: Available Soon!

The Tiki London limited edition print were first available for purchase from Tiki Racer's stall at this year's London Luau. Soon these prints will be available for sale online. Click here for an index of London's 10 Most Tiki Landmarks and make sure to come back for more details about how to get your Tiki London limited edition print!

Tiki London: Index of London's Tiki Landmarks

For our upcoming Tiki London limited edition print, Tiki Racer and I came up with a list of London's 10 Most Tiki Landmarks. Here they are in alphabetical order:

Black Pearl
British Museum
Cuming Museum
Gerry's Wine and Spirits
Intoxica
London Aquarium
Mahiki
South London Pacific
Trader Vic's
Trailer Happiness

The posters have gone to press and will be ready for purchase at the London Luau's Market Place on Saturday 9 June (10am-6pm) and Sunday 10 June (11am-6pm) at the Old Truman Brewery (Studio 95) on Brick Lane. Following the London Luau, remaining prints will be available to the wider public.

Click here for some background info about the Tiki London project and make sure to come back for more details about the Tiki London limited edition print!



The Tiki London limited edition print will first go on sale at the 2007 London Luau.

Tiki London: Gone to Press!

For our upcoming Tiki London limited edition print, Tiki Racer and I came up with a list of London's 10 Most Tiki Landmarks. The posters have gone to press and will be ready for purchase at this weekend's London Luau!

Here are some pics from Tiki Racer's trip to the printers:

Check back soon for details about how to get your Tiki London limited edition print!















The Tiki London limited edition print will first go on sale at the 2007 London Luau.

Tiki London: Trailer Happiness

For our upcoming Tiki London limited edition print, Tiki Racer and I came up with a list of London's 10 Most Tiki Landmarks. Last but not least on our list (in alphabetical order) is Trailer Happiness.

A stroll down Notting Hill's Portobello Road (the same street as another Tiki London landmark, Intoxica Records) brings the thristy to the 'retro-sexual haven of cosmopolitan kitsch and faded trailer park glamour' cocktail bar known as Trailer Happiness. Trailer H boasts one of the best Tiki drinks menus anywhere. You can even choose your Mai Tai to be Trader Vic's style or Don the Beachcomber style. One note of caution: BEWARE THE ZOMBIE!

Check back soon for for more details about the Tiki London limited edition print ... and how to get your copy!















The Tiki London limited edition print will first go on sale at the 2007 London Luau.

Tiki London: Trader Vic's

For our upcoming Tiki London limited edition print, Tiki Racer and I came up with a list of London's 10 Most Tiki Landmarks. Next on our list (in alphabetical order) is Trader Vic's.

With the sad and recent demise of the Beverly Hills Trader Vic's, London's Trader Vic's is now the oldest. The restaurant dates from 1963 (with much of the same great décor) and has been consistently slinging out magnificent Mai Tais and other dreamy cocktails ever since. One of the great shrines of Polynesian Pop, Trader Vic's is located on Park Lane in the basement of the Hilton and well worth a visit.

Check back soon for the next in our list of London's 10 Most Tiki Landmarks and for more details about the Tiki London limited edition print.















The Tiki London limited edition print will first go on sale at the 2007 London Luau.

Tiki London: South London Pacific

For our upcoming Tiki London limited edition print, Tiki Racer and I came up with a list of London's 10 Most Tiki Landmarks. Next on our list (in alphabetical order) is South London Pacific.

South London Pacific is the oldest of London's newbie Tiki bars. The masterminds behind SLP seem to have wisely anticipated the New Wave of British Tiki as well as the cocktail culture trends of the past few years. It's a fun place to drink and very popular on the weekends. SLP's kooky South Seas design is the work of Josh Collins, the same guy who tiki-fied Intoxica Records.

Check back soon for the next in our list of London's 10 Most Tiki Landmarks and for more details about the Tiki London limited edition print.















The Tiki London limited edition print will first go on sale at the 2007 London Luau.

Tiki London: Mahiki

For our upcoming Tiki London limited edition print, Tiki Racer and I came up with a list of London's 10 Most Tiki Landmarks. Next on our list (in alphabetical order) is Mayfair hot spot, Mahiki.

Mahiki is London's newest Tiki bar - and also it's trendiest - attracting the likes of Madonna, Paris Hilton, and Prince Harry. And, like the great tiki drinks establishments of yore, Mahiki has a beautifully illustrated drinks menu designed by Tiki Racer.

Check back soon for the next in our list of London's 10 Most Tiki Landmarks and for more details about the Tiki London limited edition print.















The Tiki London limited edition print will first go on sale at the 2007 London Luau.

Tiki London: London Aquarium

For our upcoming Tiki London limited edition print, Tiki Racer and I came up with a list of London's 10 Most Tiki Landmarks. Next on our list (in alphabetical order) is the London Aquarium.

What's so Tiki about the London Aquarium? How about a shark infested tank filled with three underwater moai!?! Very evocative and very Tiki!

But there's no need to take our word for it - just click here for the Aquarium's Pacific Tank Live Web Cam to get your 24/7 underwater, shark infested Tiki London fix!

Image courtesy of Lauren Hewings via Flickr.

Check back soon for the next in our list of London's 10 Most Tiki Landmarks and for more details about the Tiki London limited edition print.















The Tiki London limited edition print will first go on sale at the 2007 London Luau.

Tiki London: Intoxica Records

For our upcoming Tiki London limited edition print, Tiki Racer and I came up with a list of London's 10 Most Tiki Landmarks. Next on our list (in alphabetical order) is Intoxica Records.

Not only is Notting Hill's Intoxica Records a great place to shop for vintage vinyl, according to its owner it's also “the only record shop in the world decked out in the Polynesian Tiki style.”

Check back soon for the next in our list of London's 10 Most Tiki Landmarks and for more details about the Tiki London limited edition print.















The Tiki London limited edition print will first go on sale at the 2007 London Luau.

Tiki London: Gerry's Wine and Spirits

For our upcoming Tiki London limited edition print, Tiki Racer and I came up with a list of London's 10 Most Tiki Landmarks. Next on our list (in alphabetical order) is the Gerry's Wine and Spirits.

"At Gerry's ... you can buy almost any drink under the sun!" Stroll by Gerry's shopfront window next time you're in Soho and drool at their selection of rum. Best place for Tiki drink supplies in London.

Check back soon for the next in our list of London's 10 Most Tiki Landmarks and for more details about the Tiki London limited edition print.

Image courtesy of chillicheese via Flickr.















The Tiki London limited edition print will first go on sale at the 2007 London Luau.

Tiki London: Cuming Museum

For our upcoming Tiki London limited edition print, Tiki Racer and I came up with a list of London's 10 Most Tiki Landmarks. Next on our list (in alphabetical order) is the Cuming Museum.

The little known Cuming Museum, located in South London, is home to a number of objects brought to England on the three Pacific voyages of Captain Cook. Tikis, Hawaiian feather cloaks and more - along with the rest of the Cuming's exotic and arcane collections - make this small museum an excellent off-the-beaten-path destination.

Check back soon for the next in our list of London's 10 Most Tiki Landmarks and for more details about the Tiki London limited edition print.















The Tiki London limited edition print will first go on sale at the 2007 London Luau.