Reg Mombassa: Landscapes

Description

Reg Mombassa: Landscapes is a stunning retrospective of one of Australia's most beloved and celebrated artists. Reg Mombassa's work has been a part of the fabric of Australia's pop culture for nearly 40 years with his irreverent take on life down under, but it is his unique landscapes that have earned him a place as one of Australia's most influential and prolific fine artists. From the early days of his childhood in rural New Zealand, and around his adopted Australian home Reg has been documenting the landscape, oftentimes from cars and buses on the road with his bands 'Mental as Anything' and 'Dog Trumpet'; always with sketchbook in hand. Now over 200 of his iconic landscapes have been brought together for the first time to provide an evocative portrait of our very antipodean landscape, tracing its forever changing geographic and social outlook.

Born in New Zealand in 1951, Chris O'Doherty, otherwise known as Reg Mombassa, emmigrated to Australia with his family in 1969. After graduating where from the National Art School in Sydney in 1975, he formed rock band 'Mental as Anything' in 1976 with four other art students which went on to release 11 albums and 27 singles, with 20 entering the top forty. Reg began working as a freelance artist in 1976, and he has worked closely with Mambo Graphics since 1986 designing t-shirts and posters. His first painting exhibition was held at Watter's Gallery, Sydney in 1975 and he has had numerous one man shows at Watter's ever since. His artwork is included in the permanent collections of The National Art Gallery, Canberra, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Powerhouse Museum of NSW and the University of Sydney Union.