Matthew Clarke won the 2019 Adelaide Fringe poster competition with a vibrant portrait of himself, which was selected from 357 entries. His painting is now featured on Fringe posters and on the cover of the brochure, not to mention a Fringe scarf. He also recreated the design as a mural on Union Street in Adelaide’s East End, which will feature on the Fringe’s Street Art Explosion map. The work will also appear on Adelaide trams. On top of that he has an exhibition called Wine and Wallabies in the Fringe program – just one of the 1,326 events included this year. He spoke to Limelight about his Fringe experience so far.

Matthew Clarke with one of his paintings. Photographs supplied

Congratulations on winning the poster design competition for the Adelaide Fringe! Can you tell us about the story in your painting?

This painting is a self-portrait. It’s how I feel before I paint in public for the public. It’s a mixture of anxiety and excitement. The figure is holding the microphone when I am usually the one holding the paint brush. I am happy how the painting turned out. The vivid colours and...