Noa Ironic
Noa Ironic is a painter, living and working in Tel Aviv. Here she speaks to Lynn Seraina Battaglia via Instagram DM about her works, themes and figurative painting…
LSB: Hi Noa, thank you for taking time today to „talk“ to me. Your works are very humorous and comical, but also have elements that are macabre and twisted. Can you tell me more about the themes you are exploring in your works?
NI: In my work i explore the relms of macabre and grotesque ideas and images in a humorous and colorful manner. I take themes like death, cheating, toxic masculinity, beastialty etc.. and bring them into a playful world I built that kind of says 'I know these are parts of life no matter how dark, might as well make fun of them'. My humor is very twisted and I can always find the most disturbing incesty sexual corner of any situation
LSB: As a female painter, your works mostly depict male figures in incriminating situations and moments where they are losing control. Tell me more about that?
NI: Well I think it’s because I find men hilarious. I feel like men always find the stupidest most useless ways to do things but with such confidence. Someone commented on an article of mine a few months back 'hating men is a populist easy way into the art world' - I laughed my ass off. Cause everyone who knows me knows my fascination with dick and boys and man culture. Being critical or observent doesn’t make u a hater, but the line is thin.
LSB: Well, I think you manage to walk that fine line very successfully. Your style and story telling is very unique. How does the concept of chaos play into your aesthetic?
NI: I think my aesthetic is actually very not chaotic but my ideas are.
LSB: So would you say you‘re taking complex and chaotic ideas and themes and organize them into narratives, that invite the audience into these worlds and engage them with the themes that are essentially part of life?
NI: Yeah definitely. I think I’m very straight forward in everything I do. So no surprise that my paintings are just as much.
LSB: Figurative paintings are having a renaissance in recent years. Especially dealing with heavier and taboo themes are being depicted with irony and humor. Now we are living through rather dramatic times. How you think this will impact the future of painting? And has it affected your practice?
NI: I wish I knew. I don’t even really know what I’ll be doing 3 years from now. I can only assume that the real change will be a shift to more and more online consumption of art. The pandemic gave me time to work 24/7 in my studio, I built a big body of work in 2020 and 2021 is looking really good. I’m sad so many ppl sufferd through this year but for me it was great.
LSB: Thank you so much for taking time and DMing with me today!
