Reading the source of matplotlib.pyplot, I'm not sure how to get this:

```
from matplotlib.artist import setp as _setp
[...]
## Any Artist ##
# (getp is simply imported)
@docstring.copy(_setp)
def setp(*args, **kwargs):
    ret = _setp(*args, **kwargs)
    draw_if_interactive()
    return ret
```

It seems you could simple import and use setp directly without an ax instance?