{"product_id":"jonah-kinsella-the-cost-of-the-joke","title":"Jonah Kinsella - The Cost of the Joke","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Cost of the Joke is an oil portrait of a man maintaining an outward sense of control while struggling to hold himself together. I was interested in the idea of masculinity and the pressure men can feel to appear strong, even when they are struggling. I used the clown as a way of showing this contrast between what someone presents to other people and what they might actually be feeling. I was also thinking about the history of racist caricatures of Black people, where exaggerated faces and characters were used for entertainment. This made me think about how a person can be turned into a character or stereotype instead of being seen as an individual. I wanted the figure in the painting to feel uncomfortable and vulnerable rather than like a traditional clown. The title The Cost of the Joke refers to what can sit underneath something that appears funny, and the personal cost of having to keep performing.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJonah Kinsella\u003c\/strong\u003e, The Cost of the Joke\u003cbr\u003eOil on canvas\u003cbr\u003e43 × 31 cm\u003cbr\u003eNoosa Youth Art Prize 2026 Finalist\u003cbr\u003eNot for sale\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Non Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50505171337442,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/6246\/7298\/files\/YlfOuYav73ql2iYEOZTu3vgmm5BxroziPkqi2OTb.jpg?v=1790317280","url":"https:\/\/thenongallery.com.au\/products\/jonah-kinsella-the-cost-of-the-joke","provider":"The Non Gallery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}