The concept of creating South Sea islands in the desert might appear far-fetched, but in Palm Springs the enthusiasm for Modernism went hand in hand with a curiosity for the exotic. Pacific Islands and desert oases shared the elements of palms & pools, and sun & sands-classic attributes to induce that “I’m on vacation!” feeling. This presentation is a visual tour-de-force of eye candy that illustrates the colorful history of Polynesian escapes rising out of the desert floor: From humble bamboo huts to grand Tiki resorts, desert dwellers indulged in the fantasy of the Polynesian paradise. Potent rum potions were imbibed at elaborate luaus while hula dancers swayed to the lilting sounds of Hawaiian music. A-frame roofs simultaneously mirrored jet-age design and native dwellings. These desert Polynesias were a unique fusion of American and Oceanic culture, which was embraced and celebrated with naïve enthusiasm by the leisure-seeking middle class. Vibrant Aloha wear became the dominant “Palm Springs look.” Every fall the re-opening of Don The Beachcomber was the event of the season–the place to be. At the annual Desert Circus Parade, so-called ‘Tiki Girls’ patrolled the clubs and gave citations to anyone not dressed in Western wear or Hawaiian garb.

Sven Kirsten and Peter Moruzzi will present all this revelry and more through a cornucopia of visuals from their book Palm Springs Tiki: Polynesia in the Desert (Gibbs Smith, October 2024), including additional unpublished material.

Sven Kirsten is widely acknowledged as the father of the Tiki Revival inspired by the publication of his “Book of Tiki” in 2000. Since then, he has published four more definitive volumes on Tiki style, how it relates to midcentury Modernism, and America’s historic love of Polynesia. He lectures and continues to write books on Tiki, advises on Tiki projects, and designs Tiki ceramics.

Historian Peter Moruzzi is a longtime preservationist with a passion for midcentury Modern architecture and design. He has authored six pictorial history books published by Gibbs Smith covering Havana, Palm Springs, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and classic American restaurants.