Featuring
Matthew Martin, David McKay, Paul McNeil, Jim Mitchell, Reg Mombassa, Robert Moore, Jeff Raglus, Gerry Wedd
MAMBO rose out of the early 1980’s Sydney post-punk scene, founded by Phantom Records visionary entrepreneur Dare Jennings. Drawing on the talents of self-taught outsiders, muso-slash-visual artists, poster & comic artists and refugees from the Yellow House, Mambo was more an art movement than a clothing brand, built on a foundation of subversive satire, vernacular appreciation, music, surf and politics.
Initially spearheaded by the razor-sharp graphic wit of Richard Allan and suburban observations of Paul Worstead, and later including Reg Mombassa and other madly talented artists selected by Jennings and long term art directors Wayne Golding & Bruce Slorach. Mambo’s boundary-pushing meta-consumerist and iconoclastic approach to Australian culture took critical aim at national clichés and obsessions while mocking the dull seriousness of 'authentic' logo-based marketing.
Between 1984 and 2002 (Peak Mambo Era), a core group of around 15 Mambo artists created art, text, graphics, logos, loud shirts and schmutter that payed scant regard for selling units and more interest in turning themselves on (or the 'squares' off). In spite of this disregard for the mainstream, Mambo evolved into an international brand and national icon, leading to Mambo’s art direction of the 2000 Sydney Olympics opening ceremony, team uniforms, and a series of major survey exhibitions throughout the 2000's.
The impact and influence of Mambo continues to be felt, with Mambo alumni continuing their prolific and celebrated ways, and a generation of kids who grew up on Mambo now artists themselves.
Lone Goat Gallery is proud to present new works by 8 of the original and most notorious Mambo artists: Matthew Martin, David McKay, Paul McNeil, Jim Mitchell, Reg Mombassa, Robert Moore, Jeff Raglus, Gerry Wedd.
This ain’t no retrospective.