An absurd/comical aesthetic in a work of art might be achieved through the incongruous juxtaposition of characters/objects, the use of cartoon, the simplification of forms, and/or the use of unnatural colors. Ironic juxtapositions of characters/objects might be found through real world observation, but they are just as likely to come from the artist’s imagination.

An artist might manifest an absurd/comical aesthetic in a piece to reflect his or her own personality, or the artist might choose this aesthetic as a reflection of the characters/objects/moment in history being portrayed. An absurd/comical aesthetic might also be adopted to make a piece suitable for a setting or purpose that demands something ridiculous.

Featured: Happy Sunshine Funtime Banana Splits by Steve Banks.