Reg Mombassa is the master of weird, wonderful and wildly Aussie art. You might know him as a founding member of Mental As Anything, or maybe his cheeky, surreal illustrations for Mambo are forever seared into your eyeballs (and wardrobes). From kooky suburban characters to beachside dreamscapes, Reg’s work has helped define what it feels like to grow up in Australia – equal parts sunny, strange and a little bit satirical.
Now teaming up with Mambo, we get to revisit some of Reg’s original artworks in a brand new way – splashed across bedding, homewares and more. We caught up with Reg to chat about his career, the surf and suburbia that inspire him, the glorious chaos of Mambo, and why these prints still hit home today.
You’ve been a musician, painter, designer… basically an all-round creative powerhouse. When you look back, what was the wildest or most defining chapter of your career?
Probably the wildest or biggest chapter of my career was the closing ceremony of the Olympics in 2000, when my designs were used for the inflatables, band stages and the athletes’ shirts.
Your art soaks up Aussie living at it's best - the beach, surfboards and sunshine. What is it about those everyday backdrops that you just can’t resist?
Oddly enough I don’t surf, go out in the sun or to the beach, although I did when I was a young man and as a child. I refer to these elements because they are a big part of Australian life and popular culture.
Your style has always been funny, a bit cheeky, but also layered with commentary. Do you start with the joke, or the message – or do they tumble out together?
They tumble together, some images are just a crude joke or pun, while others have obvious or hidden references to more serious matters.
How did you come to work with the Mambo brand?
Dare Jennings saw a single cover I had done for the Mentals and asked me to do a section of the image (i.e. the vomiting chickens) as a yardage pattern.
Mambo wasn’t just a surf brand – it was a movement, an attitude, a giant middle finger and a belly laugh all at once. Why do you think it struck such a chord?
Mambo struck a chord precisely because it had all that content – a lot of the surf labels at the time just had abstract patterns or logos – no pictures! People liked the pictures.
The Mambo revival has everyone’s nostalgia firing. How does it feel seeing your original artworks being adored all over again by a new wave of fans?
It is great to see the old artworks being recycled. I think much of the work we did for Mambo is timeless and can still be entertaining or thought provoking for a new younger audience.
You’ve created works that are stitched into the cultural fabric of Australia. What advice would you give young artists wanting to make something unforgettable?
Making pictures about things that you are familiar with or care about in some way is probably a good starting point.
Do you still get a kick when you see people rocking your classic Mambo prints decades later?
Yes, I’m always delighted to see one of my images on an article of clothing or a poster or record cover.
What’s next for you – are there new projects or playful experiments you’ve got bubbling away?
I’m working on pictures for my next exhibition, a small one in Wellington and a big one here in a year or so. Also, my band Dog Trumpet have just released a new album called ‘Live Forever’. We will be doing live shows around Australia over the next few months.
