By guest writer Scott of Pipeburn. Firstly, Merry Christmas! I guess you’re wondering why a painting is being featured on Bike EXIF, and what the link to Christmas is. The painting is by Reg Mombassa and it’s called ‘Australian Jesus and the Golden Motorcycle’. Mombassa became famous through his work for the surf clothing label Mambo, which was started by the part-owner of top custom shop Deus Ex Machina, Dare Jennings. And this particular artwork was featured in an exhibition here in Sydney celebrating the motorcycle, called ‘Born to be Wild’. The exhibition celebrated the machine in Australian culture with a display of motorcycles, memorabilia and Australian motorcycle art. There were bikes built in America, England, Japan and Australia, chosen mainly for their aesthetic design. The star of the line-up was ‘Daisy’, a 1933 Rudge/JAP speedway bike to celebrate Australia’s invention of dirt track racing. (Yes, Australia held the first recorded dirt track speedway race). Also in the show was a 1942 BSA, representing the motorcycle’s induction into war service, and my personal favourite, a 1977 Harley Davidson XLCR Cafe Racer—showing Milwaukee’s decision to enter a brave new world … briefly. With so many motorcycle connections, I thought this appropriately named picture was perfect for Christmas Day. Even though most Northern Hemisphere readers have probably placed their motorbikes into hibernation, and the scene in the painting doesn’t look much like a white Christmas. (Down here in the Southern Hemisphere, we’re enjoying a hot summer—and the only ‘snow’ we encounter is at advertising parties!) See more of Reg Mombassa’s work under the ‘pictures’ tab on his website.
