Behind the Art: The Bar Herbs Mirror Maze
Ever wondered what the deal is with the crazy mirrors at Bar Herbs?
In its short life, Bar Herbs, formerly and affectionately ‘Herbs Taverne’, has gone through many changes just as all new bars do. But one thing has been a constant presence since day dot - a spectacular, bright red bear hug of a mirror that wraps itself around the entire venue.
The impressive mirror mural at Herbs is the wild work of Steady Hand Studio, a traditional sign painting studio founded by Lance Corlett, right here in Sydney.
One of the core tenets of the early Herbs identity was the idea of bringing a ‘psychedelic theatre’ to life under Clarence St. Red velvet curtains draped high and low theatres throughout Europe at the turn of the 20th century, and the people on those stages were the direct reflection of humanity’s best, and silliest characters.
Fast forward 125 years, and we’re still collectively mesmerised about the mysterious red curtain. Who and what’s behind it? When will the Harlequin spot me? Steady Hand’s marbled glass mirrors really framed our thought, “what could a twisted theatre feel like, if it couldn’t have existed until now?”, and so the abstract theatre curtain was born.
The mirrors became a window to the characters on the other side, and the gilded gold leaf reflection transports you just far enough in to another place, that it feels like a cherished memory.
In our latest iteration, the mirrors are adorned with a sprawling, hand-painted tangle of bar characters, critters and capers that capture Herbs’ revelry in a charming mural. Weaving in and out of the curtains, the metallic paint pen recounts a story of last night, tonight, and tomorrow, with MUCHO’s signature silliness peppered throughout.
