Mombassa and Glenno at war with art
Image: Gumscape by Reg Mombassa. Image: Reg Mombassa, supplied
Iconic Mambo artist, Reg Mombassa has collaborated with self-professed mercenary, Glenn “Glenno” Smith to create works for an exhibition titled: Creatures – Losing The War on Nature which will have its official opening on October 8 in Redfern.
Reg Mombassa is the alter ego of Christopher O’Doherty, a musician known for his songwriting and playing with the bands Mental as Anything, Dog Trumpet and The Pinks; and artist known for his quirky, distinctive graphic designs for clothing brand, Mambo.
Glenno is a Sydney artist who works at Mambo, teaches, and has a penchant for lino-cutting. He recently curated/directed Sydney’s fourth Bein Narly Festival and will have his second Japanese solo show exhibiting in both Kyoto and Omihachiman next year.
The two artists got together during lockdown to see what the love child of their respective art styles would look like, that is, Mombassa’s design in the style of Glenno’s lino-print. They widened their perspective and the result is this exhibition.
Of working with the legendary Mombassa, Glenno said:
“The themes present in Reg’s work are as deep and esoteric as the infinite backyards of Australian suburban mythology, as ugly as modern politics, as funny as the stuff that is worth laughing at and as weird as the crypto-zoology that slinks between the car graveyards and fossil fuel dig sites – koalas driven to terrorism – actual anti-mainstream humour and a mutated landscape bristling with tension and apathy. I hope your adventuring is as rewarding as mine has been, and you enjoy this Sydney jaunt at Diane’s wonderful Rogue gallery.”
