Surf Art News

Australian Surf Culture Floods Port Macquarie With Reg Mombassa: Selected Works

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 30 July, 2010 : - - A Wave of Australian surf culture is flooding Port Macquarie, with the official launch for the Reg Mombassa: Selected Works exhibition.

Hosted by Port Macquarie-Hastings Council’s Glasshouse Arts Conference and Entertainment Centre, a swag of dignitaries including Rob Oakeshotte – MP for Lyne, Garry Payne – Administrator, Port Macquarie-Hastings Council,  Mark Ella - Sports & Events Manager, Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, Mark Windon – CEO, Surfing NSW,  Linda Hall – Tourism Manager, Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, Rachel Hussell - Manager Community Relations, Mid North Coast, Country Energy and Niomi Sands – Gallery Curator, Glasshouse Arts, Conference and Entertainment Centre attending the day’s official opening.

The exhibition will run from the 2nd August, through the Country Energy Australian Surf Festival waiting period (14-28 August), before wrapping up on the 29 September.

Reg Mombassa: Selected Works will present a diverse selection by Chris O′Doherty, aka Reg Mombassa. He is well known for his lively Mambo designs which capture the essence of the Australian surf culture. This exhibition features a number of design originals as well as a series of landscapes works by Mombassa .

Robert Oakeshott, the Federal Member for Lyne, said the exhibition will capture the mood of the Australia surf culture. “The Australian Surf Festival is growing well, and along with the Australian Ironman, is fast becoming an iconic Port Macquarie event,” he said.

“The exciting aspect of the surf festival is not only the surfing itself, but what is growing off the beach, with music and art and surf culture also rapidly attaching itself to the week.  The Reg Mombassa exhibition is an example of this.”

“In regard the particular exhibition, Chris O’Doherty is a fantastic artist generally, and I hope some of his broader work gets displayed alongside his surf work.  For what it’s worth, I have one of his landscapes on my wall at Parliament House because I am a fan of his very unique style. 

In his many ways, whether as Chris O’Doherty, Reg Mombassa, or doing his Mambo or Mental as Anything thing, he captures a mood in Australian recent history that few like him can do.  I am looking forward to seeing his works in Port Macquarie, and I thank the Australian Surfing Festival for bringing them here.”

“I wish them all the very best for their week of surfing, catching up, and festivities, and congratulate them on their continued success.”

Glass House Gallery Curator Niomi Sands is equally excited with the exhibition. “We are excited to be showcasing a selection of work by well known Australian artist and musician Reg Mombassa here at the Glasshouse,” she said. “Mombassa’s work captures the essence of Australian surf culture. Surfing is a big part of the Port Macquarie lifestyle and it’s only fitting that this exhibition be included in the Country Energy Australian Surf Festival.”

Complementing Mombassa's artwork is Mark Ingleby’s collection of vintage surf boards which provides a wonderful look into the history of Australian surf culture. A number of unrestored boards featuring original board artwork complement Mombassa’s colourful and humorous Mambo designs. Joining Mombassa at the Glasshouse will be the screenings of Going Vertical – The Shortboard Revolution and Tim Bonython’s Sessions 2.

Going Vertical was filmed in various worldly locations and features extraordinary archival footage of surf legends of the past four decades as well as the hottest surfers today.

Set to a pumping soundtrack, Going Vertical is the story of an era, of a revolution and the extraordinary characters that made it happen.
Sessions 2 will expose punters to some of Australia's best fearless surfers taking on what we mortals would think as pure craziness.

Also featuring at the Glasshouse will be surf rockers, Haldanes Daugthers, consisting of leadman Andy Burke - Guitar /Vocals, Neal Purchase Jnr – Guitar, Jamie Kasdagalis – Organ, Lachlan Leckie - Bass guitar and Rob Brown – drums.

This unsigned five piece, which reside on the North Coast of New South Wales are on a break from recording their latest masterpiece to light up the stage at the 2010 Australian Surf Festival.Music buffs will also get to the hear some tunes from, Th e Grains, which hail from Byron Bay, New South Wales and are an eclectic mix of roots, rock and reggae with their own natural, alluring twist.

The Grains’, who are made up of Dallas James, Tommy Flint, Chris O'Neill, Christian Barker, Josh Mackenzie, are coming off the back of recording a brand new record at Byron Bay’s Studio 301. The boys are hitting the road to promote their latest record at the 2010 Australian Surf Festival.

Bands; King Tide and Mojo Bluesmen will also get a gig at the Glasshouse.

Sydney band King Tide is what happens when a bunch of absurdly talented musos surrender to the Rasta beats of reggae. Several years and another album on the global appeal of King Tide's infectious, high energy music has seen the ever popular band be the first Australian band to be signed to prestigious UK record label, Urban Sedated.

The Mojo Bluesmen, who made up of Kiam Adcock and Tim Everett are a busking duo whose passion for taking the original blues to people in the street, has seen them travel Australia wide as free spirits promoting their unique musical style.

The popular pair from the Mid North Coast of New South Wales will share their inspiration, achievements, ambitions and dreams with audiences at the festival. All tickets are now available online at glasshouse.org.au, by phone on 02 6581 8888 or at the Glasshouse Box Office – cnr Clarence and Hay Streets, Port Macquarie.

*All Ticket Prices include Booking Fee **Glasshouse doors and bar open each night 1 hour prior to scheduled start time

The 2010 Country Energy Australian Surf Festival, which will run from 14-28 August at Port Macquarie on the New South Wales Mid North Coast, will see 350 of the best surfers from around the country competing for 24 prestigious national titles over three spectacular disciplines –longboard, open surfmasters and stand up paddleboard (SUP).

For more information about the Country Energy Australian Surf Festival please visit surfingaustralia.com.

The 2010 Country Energy Australian Surf Festival is proudly supported by Events NSW, Port Macquarie Hastings Council, The Mercure Centro Hotel, Australian Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Sundowner Breakwall Tourist Park, the Glasshouse Arts, Conference and Entertainment Centre, Suncorp, Saltwater Wine Surf Centres, Australian Sports Commission, Coastalwatch, NBN Television, Port Macquarie News, Star FM, 2MC FM, Surfing World Magazine, Pacific Longboarder Magazine, Surfing Australia and Surfing NSW.

Entertainment Schedule:
Surf Art / Reg Mombassa: Selected Works  / Thursday 29 – Sunday 26 September 2010 / 10am – 5pm Tues – Fri & 10am – 4pm Sat & Sun / Free
Surf Film #1 / Going Vertical – The Shortboard Revolution / Wednesday 18th Aug 2010 / 7:30pm* / Tickets $17.50*
Surf Music #1 / Haldanes Daughters + The Grains / Friday 20th August 2010 / 7:45pm* / Tickets $12.50*
Surf Film #2 / Tim Bonython’s Sessions 2 - Slab Hunter and MayDayz - 2 massive days at Teahupo'o / Thursday 26th August 2010 / 7:30pm** / Tickets $12.50*
Surf Music #2 / King Tide + Mojo Bluesmen / Friday 27th August 2010 / 7:45pm* / Tickets $17.50*

www.glasshouse.org.au
www.surfingaustralia.com
www.countryenergy.com.au

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Surf Art - Surfersvillage