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Absurd Renaissance


Absurdism is the school of thought that believes that life is underpinned by an unavoiable meaninglessness and therefore we should not waste any time looking for such. Life is to be experienced, celebrated infact.

While Absurdism may be alive and well to younger, more ‘online’, generations under the guise of ‘hopecore’ or memes: this project aims to introduce the Absurdism to those without prior exposure to this content: this perfect-bound publication acts as the handbook to what I’ve now dubbed Contemporary Absurdism, or the ‘Absurd Rennaisance’.

Production


This publication was produced using perfect binding, involving roughing up one side of the publication and glueing all pages together.

Introducing Absurdism


This section introduces philosophers like Albert Camus and the absurdist philosophy, explaining the difference between Absurd and Absurd*ism* and slowly introducing less extreme memes and ways they can evolve humour.

Depicting life’s absurdity by montaging different examples of life being absurd without any need for creative intervention. McDonald’s burning at the hands of climate change, a nazi salute on a world stage in 2025, a man changing a light bulb with his cat emulating his behaviour.

The Theatre of The Absurd


This section introduces Absurdism as a creative movement and explains it’s relation to socio-ecological issues at the time, introducing the idea that perhaps some of these issues are relevant once again.
Waiting For Godot: a pivotal piece of absurd theatre that depicted two men waiting in turmoil for a man that isn’t coming.

Absurd Renaissance


This final section takes the ideas of subverting artistic norms and puts them into practice in a way that emulates modern humour. Featuring a myriad of low resolution memes, wholesome widespread images and intentionally obtuse spreads.
Introducing the assda of devalued quality, using less usual paragraph styles and the Charli xcx  ‘BRAT’  style to reference examples of modern day absurd media.