The Catch by Jackie Ryan

Just before taking the stage at Brisbane Powerhouse, comedian Alice Fraser sat for this portrait. Her solo show, A Passion for Passion, was a love letter to the romance genre. A comedy writer, broadcaster and performer, Fraser is a regular at Australian comedy festivals and the Edinburgh Fringe.

Upon meeting Fraser, artist Jackie Ryan recognised a kindred spirit. Ryan is Artistic Director of Brisbane Writers Festival, and uses many digital processes, including photography, AI and Photoshop, in creating her artworks. The Catch places Fraser inside a claw machine, surrounded by feminine archetypes including the trad wife, the romantic heroine and the businesswoman, all chaotically piled like prizes. Fraser has been chosen. But is that a good thing? Pointing at the arbitrary nature of visibility and success, the portrait asks who decides a woman’s worth and whether being the catch is something worth wanting. The title is deliberately ambiguous, the mood darkly playful. The longer you look, the more there is to find.