I can still remember in art school when one of my professors asked me why I made art. I responded that my personal reasons changed everyday. That making art is sometimes a wonderful release of ideas and energy. But sometimes making something can be a chore. Sometimes the 'making' takes over the 'idea'. And then my professor asked me what makes art interesting. And some people gave some generalized statements about art, which were relatively correct. But the best answer what that irony takes the cake.
Irony offers the contemporary artist an unlimited pool of meaning about the things one can make. Multiple meanings, many cultural/political/economic references, and so on. The openness of meaning liberates contemporary art from traditional art creation.
One of the best ideas I received as a young art was from PBS' Art:21, whose interview with Sally Mann, has her saying that if 'it' isn't ironic than she isn't interested in it.
One of the best examples of art that relies on irony would be by artist, John Baldessari. Many of his clever and witty paintings, art performances, and videos rely on making art that questions the process of making art. If you can 'get it' it quite hilarious.
Many artists today use irony in ways to help expose social issues, marginalized subcultures, examine social constructions, and many other things. Irony makes IT interesting. So instead of asking 'what is it', try considering the many possible answers.
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