B. 1951

Under the moniker Reg Mombassa, Chris O’Doherty merges the profane and the surreal. Born in New Zealand but now Australia based, he is a musician, designer and artist. In 2000, Mombassa contributed to the Sydney Olympics and in 2013, he was appointed the creative director of Sydney’s New Year Eve celebrations. These accomplishments testify to Mombassa’s affinity with the Australian sensibility.

Irreverent, fantastical and searing, his work populates suburbia with monsters - drawing out ideas surrounding religion, politics and masculinity. Mombassa is represented by major institutions in Australia, as well as the collections of Elton John and author Patrick White. He is also the subject of two documentaries and a monograph. Whether on a Mambo t-shirt or the wall of a public gallery, Mombassa continues to delight, amuse and provoke all who view his work.