Summary

Men's x-small short-sleeved shirt made by Mambo circa 2003. The shirt is called 'Refugees' and was designed by Gerry Wedd, as part of the Mambo 'Loud Shirt' range. Gerry Wedd designed for Mambo 15 years from 1991 to 2006, creating designs for ceramics, textiles, posters, surfboards and metal work.

The design for this shirt takes gentle approach to the issue of refugees in Australia by depicting scenes of an ideal world. It shows refugees being welcomed, assisted and recognised for courage, accompanied by suggestive slogans. The scenes are embedded within images of Australian motifs including Australian flora, fauna and urban images such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge. This shirt brings the material culture of this sensitive issue more firmly into the mainstream.

Mambo was established in 1984 by Dare Jennings and Andrew Rich, the label emphasised vibrant and humorous graphics with a mix of surf culture, art and music influences. Mambo consistently employed individualistic artists to design its graphics, including Reg Mombassa, Gerry Wedd, Jim Mitchell, Paul Worsted and Robert Moore. They have also demonstrated commitment to environmental and social causes with substantial profits from sales of a particular t-shirt being given to Greenpeace and proceeds from a t-shirt which was a jibe at One Nation politician Pauline Hanson, being given to an Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander organisation. In 2000, Mambo was taken over by Gazal Corporation, a Sydney based manufacturer which for ten years had produced Mambo clothing under licence.

Physical Description

Men's short sleeve rayon shirt, blue background with various images in orange, yellow, red and black of refugees in Australia. Captions on the shirt include 'Refugees get friendly with Woomera Locals', 'Refugees being treated by warm caring Aussie hospital staff', 'Container ships full of refugees find a safe haven' and 'The brave travellers are welcomed ashore'.

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