Indeah Clark is embedded in the nucleus of the Grand Junction Hotel’s cult following. With bluesy musicians filling the pub’s pantheon and regulars perched eternally on barstools like gargoyles on the steeples – Clark bounces tap to tap, cranking out cold schooners and frothing conversation.
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Maybe it’s the fact she draws much of her inspiration from daily life in the pub, maybe it’s because the publicans invite her to hold exhibitions there, but Clark has become the Grandy’s self-destructing artist in residence.
While most artists spend their time hoping to have their work immortalised in galleries – ticking over behind Clark’s sunny smile is an artist trying to literally blow up her work.
She turned heads at Dashville’s most recent Gumball festival when she painted live on stage behind William Crighton’s band.
“People go out to see live music – that's an art form,” she said.
“So why not see someone create a painting or sculpture?”
The image of a sickly green moon, hanging ripe and low over a rocky mountainside, took shape during the course of the Crighton set.
But the crowd was spellbound when the performer, still strumming, parted the sea of people and turned to Clark.
The band picked up her artwork, followed her through the crowd to a bonfire and set it ablaze.
“I had know hesitations or regret throwing it into the fire,” she said.
“I think all the stress and anxiety in the preparation, and the nerves of painting on stage.
“But I felt like it was all worth it when I finally finished – and I finally destroyed it.”
Clark, a fan of Kerouac books and pop-culture tattoos, said spending time creating something beautiful takes on a greater poignancy if it’s destroyed.
And it’s a direction she wants to push further.
“I've been playing with idea lately of doing a huge painting made up of lots of small squares and somehow throwing the squares into the crowd to either let the viewer destroy it, or keep it, or give it away,” she said.
“Let them have complete control.
“Or take it even further. Let people come up, one-by-one, and burn it or stab it… remind them there's always something bigger we should focus on.
“Take a step back and not worry if your coffee table matches your sofa. Just enjoy what you've got.”
All she needs now is a festival and crowd she can trust with her destruction.
Catch Clark’s live art at Dashville Skyline this weekend and at Newcastle’s This That festival on November 5.
