One of Australia's most recognisable and influential queer figures, Courtney Act has played a significant role in bringing gender fluidity into mainstream consciousness. The drag persona of Brisbane-born performer Shane Jenek, Courtney has been captivating audiences with her charisma, distinctive style and dazzling performances for more than two decades.
This portrait by artist Paul Yore is a celebratory embodiment of camp theatricality and exuberant excess. Act's likeness emerges from a carefully colour-matched assemblage of thousands of found and repurposed materials, including drag detritus from her 'drag room', from discarded eyelashes to press-on nails and stray sequins. By turning this eclectic mix of disparate objects into a radiant portrait, Yore evokes the transformative spirit of drag. He elevates the overlooked and the everyday and celebrates what he refers to as a 'dynamic process of constant reinvention'.