Is Instagram Changing Art?

Many of us who make and appreciate art spend loads of time on Instagram. How is it changing the way we interpret and interact with art? And is it actually changing the art that gets made? Let's find out. #art #instagramart #instagram
Thanks to our Grandmasters of the Arts Vincent Apa, Josh Thomas, and Ernest Wolfe, and all of our patrons, especially Rich Clarey, Iain Eudaily, Frame Monster Design Laboratory, Patrick Hanna, Nichole Hicks, Andrew Huynh, Eve Leonard, David Moore, Gabriel Civita Ramirez, Constance Urist, Nicholas Xu, and Roberta Zaphiriou. To support our channel, visit: / artassignment .
Studies mentioned:
Budge, K. (2017), Objects in Focus: Museum Visitors and Instagram. Curator, 60: 67-85. doi:10.1111/cura.12183
Alixandra Barasch, Gal Zauberman, Kristin Diehl. How the Intention to Share Can Undermine Enjoyment: Photo-Taking Goals and Evaluation of Experiences. Journal of Consumer Research, Volume 44, Issue 6, April 2018, p 1220-1237, doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucx112
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[@kirstyhall5044]

Seeing art online is hugely important for me because I am a disabled artist and I'm often not well enough to travel to see shows. Of course I would love to see more art in real life but museums and galleries having a KZbin channel, a Twitter or Instagram presence means that I can remain connected with the broader art world and see shows that are otherwise inaccessible to me. My own Instagram allows me to show people my process, the mess in my studio, work in progress and the sort of objects and images from daily life that inspire my work. It's also a powerful statement of intent and presence. I continue to exist and make work daily despite both my illness and an artworld that often renders chronically ill and disabled artists extremely invisible and unheard.

[@confusedandamused]

I'm in a similar position, I'm mostly bed and house bound so can rarely visit a show or have one myself. Without instagram one of the most meaningful parts of my life wouldn't exist. Thanks for posting :)

[@theartassignment]

Thanks so much for contributing your experience here. An important addition to the discussion!

[@jeridoney7604]

Spot on! I am also disabled and can become isolated from what other artists are doing. Social media can help ease that isolation, spur creativity by inspiring me to look at the world differently, and jump start conversations about what and why I do the art that I do. It takes resolve and intention to avoid doing work only to please the public, but that has been a hurdle for generations, and will probably continue to be one. Changes in technology and availability keep art, and the experience of art, vital and dynamic.

[@TheAetherOne]

As another chronically ill artist, I concur 100%.

[@killsync2130]

Kirsty Hall this is such a good point. Platforms like Instagram allow people to be exposed to artists and creators across the globe as well as to share your own creations with them. It’s not such a bad deal. Yes there is room for improvement but there are so many benefits as well for artists and entrepreneurs.

[@52filmsmedia]

"Art is Cool. Me is cool too." This needs to be on a tshirt.

[@chayanika8155]

Exactly!😂😂 I was laughing so hard at this!

[@gjuniper8126]

It's fun to imagine what (decades past) influential artists' Instagrams would have looked like if Instagram existed during their times.

[@theartassignment]

YES. What would Warhol's instagram look like?

[@nayan5742]

Van Gogh would definitely been a hit in his lifetime with his bright colour pallet

[@swschilke]

@@theartassignment well you could look at photos (snaps) he has taken but not used / published (if such material exists) and therefore assemble a Instagramish timeline of him.

[@ShonJonify]

@@theartassignment That's An Interesting Thing To Think About, That Would An Interesting Thing To Behold. The Same Goes Van Gogh' s Instagram If He Had Had One.

[@killsync2130]

Frida on IG...

[@juliariera4000]

I'm an art history major and I've been wanting to write a paper about the influence of instagram in museums so this video really helped!

[@blaketheartpotato211]

Same, its so fasinating, though i found ive had a lot of older people tend to reduce the way art has changed in the past 10 years as almost a watering down of the form, when in 60 years itll probably be taught in art history classes as a movement influenced by social media in a similar way to how the rise of photography changed art of the late 19th and 20th centuries

[@killsync2130]

Interesting. Can you put your paper up on Reddit or someplace where we can read it?

[@gm42069]

@@blaketheartpotato211"fasinating"

[@cruzjay188]

@@killsync2130 yeah I agree

[@MsJerrySparkle]

@@gm42069 "not knowing english isn't most people's first language"

[@anawieder5003]

Not to mention that Instagram takes a psychological toll on artists, fostering envy for others shows, residencies, grants, and making you feel like a failure.

[@brendonjhawkins6770]

Sounds like a need for personal growth and love babe

[@Ruby_Key]

I feel like that just happens naturally

[@Rhiwwers]

Yep. I had to quit Facebook and Insta to regain my ability to produce anything that did not make me sick, because I just felt like I was watering myself down for likes from bots trying to sell me stuff or other artists equally eager to get traction.

[@TheLily97232]

The worst for me is the obvious trends flooding every art work like a clock

[@TheLily97232]

@@brendonjhawkins6770 that's a proven problem overboard. But if you're safe from it good for you

[@PocketDeerBoy]

One thing that's always important to keep in mind is that most popular social media is constructed not so much for the users as they are for the advertisers. The advertisers are the ones giving the platform money, after all. Thus, algorithms, as time goes on, will inevitably be more and more constructed for users to view more and more ads; they're inscentivised to consume more and more of the content on the platform, so that they'll see more ads. The culture of social media is not constructed purely by the people who use it, but even moreso by the people who constructed it and what they're using it for. I just think it's really weird that all of our online social spaces are owned and controlled by massive corporations.

[@paulalandhart1914]

You are right, I hate how they manipulate us, saying we "own" those platforms when we really don't. We are just being used, deprived of our information. But the thing I hate the most is when they effectively mold us: they mold our taste! they tell us what we should love, and we obey!

[@IkeOkerekeNews]

Agreed, though most content and trends are made by users.

[@Visual-Synthesizer]

if its free you are the product!

[@Udontkno7]

But isn’t that always the case with capitalism? There’s no way out, with or without social media.

[@bobbylawsen9638]

There was one report I heard that someone posted a selfie of herself wearing a pair of glasses-and apparently that glasses manufacturer used that photo of her in their advertising campaign. They did not even ask her permission, but instead just offered her 40% off on her next pair of glasses. Supposedly this was legal, demonstrating that any content one posts on social media (on Instagram at least) is not their property.

[@xNujeL]

this is kinda off topic but I was in an art museum the other day and I actually tried to pay attention to how everything was curated aka the location of the art pieces, the colors of the wall, etc. and asked myself why they made those choices. And that is because of you! I think you mentioned it in My Top 40 Art Reflections or some other video, so thank you for making me more aware! :)

[@theartassignment]

YAS.

[@LucidOpticLab]

recent study shows IG users are posting less than half as much as they did 4 years ago. I know it is definitely true for me and many of the other artist I socialize with. We are sick of the algorithm nonsense

[@haydengoertler]

Super late to reply to this but yeah I’m sure Instagram was beneficial to artists at first but once Facebook got its hand in it soon became shitty and evil. Instagram will only share your art to like 20% of your followers unless you pay for add space. I used to kinda judge people when they had sponsored under their name but now I understand they essentially made artists completely rely on Instagram to show their art and now hold it hostage by only showing a small percentage of your work unless their demands are met aka buy add space or no one will see your artwork.

[@ReachAroundStudios]

To me one of the great tragedies of Instagram, or by extension smart phones themselves, is that I have noticed a general decline or reticence to discuss the work with their peers who are sharing the same space. Prior to 2007 I found that people would be a lot more willing to sit down and talk with a stranger about what the work means to them, how it might relate to their experiences, and the pure technical aspects of what went in to producing the piece. In 2019 it seems more common that folks would rather search online for a critical response to the piece or peruse the Wikipedia article to find what they perceive to be 'the right answer' rather than suppose with those around them. Today I get many more looks when I try and talk to someone about a work of art that is directly in front of our eyes. I've no doubt there is value in online sharing, just the same as there are challenges with it, but this one little part of the art world is something I sorely miss. I wholeheartedly share your conclusion that we might someday soon develop a more mature relationship with social media; fortunately art is something where its many forms can necessitate in-person viewing.

[@xNujeL]

Damn, you sound like someone I'd love to go to a gallery with! Hardly know anyone who's into art, let alone discussing art.

[@TheWooloomoolloo]

Instagram avoids discussion because the viewers have nothing to say.

[@michaelschulz1621]

Who needs deep, reasoned, factual, meaningful conversation with others when you can just click like on a tiny display of a piece of art which may be meant to be presented in large scale? Welcome to 2019. It's only going to become worse from here.

[@hedgehog3180]

Wonder if that's also a consequence of more people going to art galleries who because they're new aren't really ready for discussions.

[@mslightbulb]

At museums I’m basically my moms personal tour guide. Unless I’m to tired to even walk, then I just wanna die. I love to do this, I actually got an invitation to a museum for doing this, because one of the workers happened to hear us. I should go again when the quarantine passes.

[@redpotter27]

Hooray!! You're back!!! I also love how this video is somewhat of an opportunity to show off some Instagram artists, many of whom I did not know

I love how art is expanding beyond the walls of a museum, and how museums are changing with the times to bring art to the masses.

[@xsecondgox]

I have always felt like Instagram downgrades art.

[@sadiemakesmesmile]

it reduces is to cheap fast consumption

[@poop_fossil]

9:09 "wait until after the experience to share them." As someone who constantly shoots analogue film, this is actually one of the biggest draws to it for me. I always have a film camera on me and try to photograph to document my own life. Unless I specifically care about certain photos, I will usually put a finished roll into a drawer for until I have money or chemicals to process it. Then, when I actually decide to develop some, I will just grab a random handful of rolls. That way, I will get a varying mix of photos anywhere from the other day to months ago, and it's often a more enjoyable way than just viewing them right after they were taken. Many fond memories I had forgotten about had resurfaced that way. I don't do it all the time but it is often enjoyable.

[@Bonsees]

I agree 😊

[@trashvomitarts1812]

As an introvert, instagram allows me to publish and share my art with the world. Otherwise, my art would just collect dust.

[@MADGuy248]

I’m that weird person who take pictures in museum for memories, and for record of interesting artworks I find 😂 I also take pictures of the curatorial environment and how it helps audience to interact with artworks. Those interactions are pretty interesting.

[@3DJMV3]

I do the same !

[@IsuiGtz]

Same.

[@darkairieal]

Same!

[@nine-vi7rw]

Yeah same, as an artist, I would just take pictures to admire later or use it for inspiration or reference study lol.

[@andresrosales]

same here

[@redknight1825]

Of course there are always positives and negatives to everything. One thing I would like to mention is that art shown on a small screen of an iPad or iPhone can never be the same as seeing the actual art work. For example, take a Rothko painting. His Seagram series are huge, 3 metres X 4 meters. Seeing them shrunk down on a iPhone can only ever give you a fraction of the experience you will have when seeing them in the flesh. For years of only ever seeing his work in art books I never understand why Rothko's work was considered so great. Only when I went to see the Seagram series for myself did I get why they are masterpieces. They look so simple but when you look closer you can see that the surface has an unnerving ambiguous effect, as though you could put your hand inside the painting. I was blown away when I experienced this and could not figure out how he had managed to get that effect. Later I saw his numerous sketch books in which he spent years of experimenting on tonal shades putting thin layers of tones over the top of each other like thin curtains of colour on top of curtains. This is nothing but astounding. There is no way you can see this on a small iPad screen or book. Thus I fear that if we focus on making art specifically for the digital audience then surely it will be inevitable that we lose deeper experiences that such art can give us in favour of a more shallow quick buck experience. We will sacrifice quality for quantity. Since when has that ever been petite for human-kind? Still it seems it is inevitable. Personally I prefer to stick to trying to achieve quality over quality even though I run the risk of being wiped out not he tsunami of history. art-adamson.com

[@killsync2130]

Crypto Knight luckily these tiny phone screens will soon be seen as relics of the past. Enter AR and art 🖼 integrated with daily life.

[@cubeofcheese5574]

I want to disagree with your statement, "Now of course seeing an image of an artwork on a phone is not as good as being there." This is definitely true in some cases but not all. For example, I created an Instagram page that documented sketches I did on the train every day. I was doing the sketches in a sketchpad, but the drawings on paper was not the final product. The final product was the Instagram collection with captions. Seeing it on the internet /is/ being there. Similarly, a script is not the artwork. The KZbin video made from the script is the artwork and seeing that video on KZbin is the proper way to experience that art. Thank you for this video and all the work you do.

[@sosensualandfree]

Good contribution. Social media makes a new set of art work designed for consumption on phones.

[@scarymath6666]

i was really hoping you would talk more about the effect this has on artists. instagram imo has kinda pushed artists to feel like they need to put out new works of art multiple times a week. like people went from taking months on one drawing to trying to pump them out in an hour or two. it's insanity

[@fintanbeirne7261]

I just want to thank you for making me feel justified to pursuing art and making art a key component of my life. Art Assignment has taught me that the art industry is a real thing and it exists in so many places where one might not expect.

[@Azlan_]

fintan beirne I can say the same thing! :)

[@yadisfhaddad722]

Great video! I think you forgot to mention one crucial way in which Instagram changes art, and it is the attention span we have towards still imagery. It has been only but shrinking since the social media era, and it affects the time devote to see artworks in real life, flattening our experience of "seeing" the work regardless of medium or technique any image an artist could render.

[@PopCultureFridays]

Great point!! The future of museums is probably going to involve "Gif Photo Galleries" only

[@ivanttosuckyourblood]

The way (some) Instagrammers prominently insert themselves into the work of others, it seems like they are suggesting they and their clothes are on equal footing as the art itself.

[@IaMSpeaks]

They are

[@jacquelinele9170]

That's definitely what I've J observed/judged as well 😂

[@ibelieveicansoar]

Most modern art is superficial, and designed to be aesthetically discomforting, as most of the examples in this video show. So I'm not sure why you're saying human beings are not "on equal footing" with this stuff.

[@noiseworks]

or products, like when you see an advert with some art used as a backdrop

[@hedgehog3180]

I mean obviously influencer culture is kinda infuriating but I also don't think it's right to say that art is somehow above people. I don't think that's what any of the artists really intended themselves and especially not more modern artists who explicitly want to emphasize that every person is capable of producing art and is as valuable as them. I think maybe the annoying thing about those pictures is not that they try to elevate the person to the same level as the art but rather implies that, that specific person somehow brings value to the art that wouldn't be there without them. Like it's saying "if I was not here posing this art would just be worthless crap", which is kinda infuriating, it's not so much about being on equal footing as the art as much as it's about putting themselves on a pedestal.

[@letsfindsomepeace9207]

Instagram has made it harder to grow lately. I have been making art for years and have actually gotten better in various aspects of it. However, my growth there has been stagnant and has actually gone negative in that last three or so years.

[@musxidntty]

How so? How did it affect your growth?

[@letsfindsomepeace9207]

@@musxidntty my drawings used to get a good 100+ likes and a good engagement from my audience. Now I barely break 45 and almost no comments. I try to grow my art and style as much as I can, without forcing it too much. My number of followers has been nearly the same so the drop in engagement doesn't make any sense. It's extremely discouraging.

[@musxidntty]

​@@letsfindsomepeace9207 I believe that's just instagram's algorithm working against you. rather than your skill and quality of work. If you switched to a business account they would probably prioritize your content regardless of what you post because $$$. That said I think you shouldn't feel discouraged. Try basing your growth on how much you improve rather than the likes you get. Trust me, I've been there. People tend to be fickle with what they like and trends change. What matters is you never give and try to keep improving as much as you can. I'm rooting for you. From one artist to another.

[@PHlophe]

@@letsfindsomepeace9207 i thought it worked like deviant art back in the day where we relied on comments and praises and galleries recommendations. i haven't tried IG for my own art work personally so i wouldn't know how it feels to be dependent from it for exposure and commercial growth.. i have always wondered how it translates into £ behind the scenes since most of us aren't influencers but rather shop dummy displays .

[@letsfindsomepeace9207]

@@musxidntty I really appreciate that! I have been pushing myself to look past it all. My account is a business account. I just don't pay for advertisements. Only sad thing is that if I decide to commercialize my art, I wouldn't have enough engagement. Given how much time I spend on art, I'd love to make some money off of it as well. But alas.

[@jennamariia]

Seeing art on instagram might have made me an artist. Of course I prefer going out to the museums and galleries to see art, but art on instagram lets me experience the art that will never be shown in my country, art by artists I would never come by in my city, and it gives me an outlet to share my own art that would never be seen by anybody otherwise.

[@alexzoin]

Sculpture or sets that are intended for the observer to take a picture in are kind of experiential pieces and in a way taking a picture inside of them is making your own piece or a collaboration. It's almost a new form of art and I think it's exciting.

[@Guairebot]

I hate how every time I go to an exhibit its full of people not even looking at the art just taking photos of and with the art, galleries feel fuller and fuller but less and less people are going to appreciate the art works.

[@PHlophe]

that's because you assume there is one traditional method to appreciate art. i snap pics in and out but its mostly for zooming privately and pick it apart. we need to be less snobbish about the way we perceive other people looking at part.

[@Guairebot]

Lechiffresix six I can see where you are coming from but I feel that galleries are made to be enjoyed in the moment, also I’m fine with taking a few photos to later appreciate them I don’t like when people will move through a gallery quickly barely looking at the art just taking photos. I’m not trying to be snobby and I can appreciate that times might change just a personal preference.

[@SunyiSideUp]

When I first went to the MoMA, I took a lot of pictures and videos, because I was so excited to be in the same space with the actual work of artists I'd studied. Just because people take pictures doesn't mean they're not appreciating the art. I stared at a Mondrian for what must've been 15 minutes after snapping a picture. I stood in front of works by Basquiat with tears in my eyes after snapping a picture. I had just recreated a Basquiat painting on my face for class a month before that trip. We all have unlimited space on devices that fit in our pockets to take pictures. It's a different world than before, and I'm sure many of those great artists who we admire who have passed on would've loved to be able to take unlimited photos of their work and have a platform where they can share their work and control their images right at their fingertips. That's why so many living artists use Instagram, too.

[@Guairebot]

SunyiSideUp yeah, like I said I have no problem with people taking photos if they are also going to stand and appreciate the art I just don’t like when people barely look at the work and just take a photo to show off that they saw the art work

[@equesdeventusoccasus]

Very good video. As an artist who posts his work on Instagram, I must admit, that sometimes I make an artistic choice based on how it will look on a smartphone.

[@Donteatacowman]

10:33 brings to mind another question I haven't seen asked: Do we unfairly value the superficially popular kind of engagement on social media as being exemplary of the place they're posted? For every #Instagrammable selfie with the Mona Lisa, there are probably hundreds of everyday randos taking (and posting) selfies and photos of the same artwork that just isn't photogenic. For every 10k-likes post by an Instagram-famous museum, there are so many lesser-liked photos by other museums that haven't put as much funding into their social media engagement, and posts by not-established artists who get only a handful of likes. But does that make the unfamous posts any less of a representation of how Instagram influences our culture? Aren't the unliked posts more of a reflection of how an average user experiences art through the platform?

[@user-sx4yu3nw4j]

6:14 the most high-brow burn from an art-elite “ya basic”

[@kyle6282]

working in a gallery its so obvious the effect insta has a had so many groups just come in and rush to the most aesthetically pleasing backdrop to take photos then leave without really caring abt anything else

[@kyle6282]

also a lot of ppl come in looking for certain works bc of ppl taking photos w them

[@killsync2130]

kyle m that’s so interesting. Had no idea but it makes sense. As someone working in a gallery you have a unique perspective. Any other peculiarities that you’ve noticed both from the patrons or from the artists?

[@plaidshirt9955]

I once read a book about graffiti as an artform and one of the chapters was titled "I was here" and was about how the essence of graffiti, no matter how good an artwork or bad a scribbled little pseudonym, was the feeling of leaving your mark on the world. To let people know you were there. I think people who take pictures with art works experience that same feeling of I Was Here when they post a picture of themselves with an artwork. Which isn't a bad thing. It's just a thing. A very universally human thing.

[@killsync2130]

Plaid Shirt very true. Imagine not having any photographs from our childhood . Lots of those memories only exist in our minds because our parents saved and shared photos of those moments with us.

[@imroseahmed7638]

I am Indian doctor. The artist in me got buried under the A+ grades. Insta is the place where I vent out my artistic outlook.

[@JoaoPessoa86]

I have definitely seen this change in real time as my workplace has gone from prohibiting photography to encouraging it. It's still a back and forth between lenders, lawyers, and the public but we've become increasingly photo-friendly

[@yaysadie]

What kind of place do you work in?

[@JoaoPessoa86]

@@yaysadie an art museum

[@yaysadie]

@@JoaoPessoa86 Thank you, this is really interesting you've seen this first hand

[@danielbeauchamp2317]

I was JUST researching this. Thank you for the timely video!

[@amician5359]

Your videos always make me think beyond the boundaries of my own art practice and very limited local 'art scene'. I think that is good for all of us, not just artists and art enthusiasts. Thank you for that.

[@margaretguillory]

Once again, excellent food for thought. I look forward to these postings. They never fail to illuminate or at least challenge.

[@Phoenix3391]

Really appreciate this analysis. Thanks for giving a detailed argument about art and instagram without defaulting to the cynical “screens are taking over our lives and turning people into zombies” or the dismissive “who cares times are changing let people do what they want” takes that seem all too common. Well done!

[@killsync2130]

Phoenix3391 agreed!

[@houston1293]

The point of distributing art to those that are not privileged is the most powerful and important

[@fussel895]

I went to the Louvres to see the exhibition on Leonardo di Vinci, it was cool but I felt bad because there were too many people taking pictures, it’s quite unsettling but at the same time everyone was happy to be here, polite and humble in the middle of all the artworks! I think it also has to do with Museum being close to what we associate with temples, some of us needs the quiet, the time and the space and others want to interact with it fast! I like instagram, but yeah seeing for instance a monumental painting IRL is one hell of an experience, it’s quite moving!

[@afroceltduck]

I often take photos of works that I particularly enjoy (when allowed!), but I find that my memory of seeing the work is often better than the photograph itself. Does this mean I'll stop taking photos? No. I still value being able to take home something that gave me an emotion in some form. However, I will say it's super important to spend time with the art by itself, because nothing can replace your full attention. Lastly, I don't think I've ever posted any of my photos to Instagram. I may do that a little in the future, just to see what happens (to me or to the people who will see it).

[@matthewbateman6487]

Incredibly interesting to watch and to think about.. What concerns me most about this whole phenomena is how many open-ended, 'who knows', 'only time will tell' sorts of questions were asked here with no answers.. And how the ending said 'hopefully' these new phases of 'culture' and history will deepen our senses rather than make them superficial, when we know the overwhelming majority are only becoming more superficial. Like with so many forms of social media, many of the ones who are using it thoughtfully and carefully are only doing so because society has so shaped itself that not doing so is increasingly no longer an option.. Or they use social media only to reach people to hopefully help disentangle others from technology's inescapable web. And that's the worst part. However much Instagram is affecting art, we have *no* *conceivable* *idea* how much the giant, invisible network of algorithms is affecting every single aspect of the human experience. We have already created something we can't escape. We can't turn off.. It's worse than Fahrenheit 451 every imagined. Orwell's 'Newspeak' is happening all around us in the form of hashtags, text lingo, ten-second long fads of slang, and so forth, we will willingly bury the knowledge of the Ancients under our own self-imposed ignorance and love for flash and glamor. And fifty years from now, when we finally realize the consequence (like asbestos, or x-raying pregnant women in the 20s) the train of true, deep, independent, human thought will have gone off the rails long ago.

[@davidwilliams7935]

I wish we could go back to the day of no photography in art museums. So many people not looking, but just snapping away and blocking the view for others.

[@starvingartistscollective]

yes, yes! Just been to a Matisse and Picasso exhibition and found myself wanting to physically push the selfie morons out of the way!!!!!! Do remember the days of 'no photography' in our art galleries because flash could affect the artwork and/or queues would slow the movement of people and their contemplation of the works.....now, apparently these concerns are not 'important' after all. :( I still save up and buy the catalogues for their excellent photos and extra information, have a small library of them now and LOVE them!

[@jjmasterj]

"...a series of sets for taking pictures. Which is both cool and weird, and also something I hope we look back on, and think of as an amusing step in the direction of a more technologically sophisticated future." - this was a magnificent line :)

[@AvengingTiki]

You mention a lot of different angles to consider this. I try to balance the pros and cons you discuss throughout this video. When visiting a museum: -I first look at a piece -Then decide whether or not I want to note the piece -If I do I write a note about it and take a photo -After I leave the museum I review the pieces I liked -If one particularly stands out I then share it I find this helps me really appreciate and pay attention to pieces. It also helps me remember more works of art. Additionally, it gives me an opportunity to share art with my friends who might not have a chance to see it otherwise. It works well for me.

[@briggs5534]

gosh! i remember when museums and galleries posted signs in big letters that said 'you NO take pictures in galleries!'. i also remember at least once when i had to coat check a camera before i was allowed in! (yeah, i'm old...)

[@TheAndresfardila]

I do keep a bunch of my pictures of art and daily live for myself, and actually Google Photos is now a really big visual diary. I tend to post on Instagram the best photos later I experience my day. Love the video! You guys have an amaizing account. Greetings form Colombia :D

[@casir.7407]

i find instagram interesting in how it allows me to look back on trips to museums ive had, and what i chose (usually back in the hotel after the visit, so i can carefully trim them into the insta-square while keeping the info i want in there) to focus on. ive noticed that i have a tendency to take photos of the small things in paintings -a child playing in the background, a sleeping dog, the foliage of a tree top. i also try my best to join the art piece with its name and author, and often try to upload only what i truly like of all the pictures i had. its part of the curated experience of social media, yes, but its also kind of comforting to have all these little pieces of art in my profile to look back to and remember fondly

[@Bandajify]

as an artist whose main platform is instagram im buzzing through this video!

[@mimilillamy3460]

One problem with instagram for artist is that to gain followers you have to have a clear style, aestethic so that your feed looks good and put together. I find this very constraining for being creative.

[@TheCanvasArtHistory]

Great and inspiring video as always! The growing influence of Instagram in the art world also had me thinking about the authority museums have. With art becoming more democratic through the internet, does this erode the authority of museums. You don't need to go to a museum or to a gallery to have access to art. These institutions don't hold the quasi-monopoly on art as they used to do. I, for one, am certain I'd go to museums and galleries a lot more if it wasn't for the internet.

[@meanncat3050]

Or if they didn't say garbage was art

[@kylebridston2389]

There's something cool about seeing a piece of art that you saw at a museum being posted online.

[@lorenabpv]

From your local millennial social media manager (so, not an artist + someone who has to spend a lot of time online lol): I love art on instagram and it's one of the reasons I think it's still the platform I have the best personal relationship with. It's a mix of a moodboard and a polaroid collection for me tbh. I was going through my insta posts yesterday and was reminded of a wonderful day I spent with friends seeing the ai weiwei exhibit back in january. But idk, to me, choosing what I photograph and later going through pics and choosing when and how to post them is a way of enjoying it too.

[@killsync2130]

lorenabpv thank you!

[@PROJ3CKT]

I think there is an argument for how Instagram or any social media can help you discover artists who you wouldn't previously know. It's no secret that a lot of galleries are extremely elitist and I think discovering lesser known artists who's work may not be conventionally displayed in a gallery is a really great thing!

[@dominicbuscemi3546]

Great video!! Love this channel so much- I told my art history professor about art assignment!

[@somethingforyourmindtoeat]

Everything changes everything

[@johngreen8344]

I love videos like this. Thank you for making my day!

[@eduardodifarnecio2336]

Illuminating. What a wonderful series.

[@maocharlisme]

For me visiting art musea is mostly about the intimacy and transference of sensibilities in meeting/seeing/experiencing/discovering artpieces that vividly and/or intensely resonate with me and transport me into another realm of my humanity, human condition and human existence or else deepen and enrichen the one I am already finding myself in at that moment by adding something worthwhile to it or by excavating its inherent qualities and intricacies and my experience of those. Art (talking about the chance of all possible disciplines here, even the ones under- or unrecognized) that speaks to me in such a tone that it appears to understand some part of me that perhaps none else do truly helps me feel more belonging to this world.

[@jacquelinele9170]

I didn't think I would watch this whole video but then you keep saying interesting things 😂💕

[@TymstoneArt]

What I found most enlightening was what you ended with... That Instagram could leave and not museums. Museums feel more elite in some ways, well more than days past. Holding on to objects and claiming they are worth studying, protecting and hording has always been an interesting business to me. Don't get me wrong I love going to museums to find inspiration for my art but maybe one day They (institutions) will change significantly as the world does and not the donors... Thank you for the mind stirring...🤯🎨

[@leslierae6416]

I was an avid lover of photography for a short time when I was in high school/early college. I took allot of beautiful, interesting photos, but I can tell you that of allllllllllllll the beautiful photos I took very few were actually worth all the I experiences I missed out on because I was behind a camera. That’s what I don’t like about Instagram, I fear that so many people focus on capturing an event or image so they can show it to others instead of just witnessing something gorgeous and breathtaking in the moment.

[@rubblereport]

This is a fantastic video, i think Instagrams impact on the art world has been monumental to say the least. Particularly when you consider the vast range of creative fields. As an independent animator I rely a lot on social media to market my business, but there is this weird mix of appealing to a mass audience to get high numbers of likes and follows, and also trying to appeal to potential clients. That work doesn't always achieve the same goal. This is made more complicated by the fact that clients often use your number of followers as a measuring stick for how good you are. You touched on businesses using work without permission, i think this is a huge issue now for artists. There are lots of reposting accounts and as an artist you appreciate the larger reach you get as free publicity but it's also not always asked for and potentially there are lots of people making money from your hard work and you get nothing. Recently I've also noticed lots of business running reposting accounts that serve you "daily inspiration" along with a little ad for their product in the description. As an artist you're pretty powerless apart from requesting them to take it down. This is a huge and complicated problem where artists can easily be exploited, but also a powerful tool to help artists in many ways too. Like a lot of the internet it's going to take time to figure out and get right.

[@killsync2130]

What would you propose as a good solution for compensating artists based on what you said about the negative aspects of reposting ?

[@rubblereport]

@@killsync2130 I don't really know, might have to ask an economist. But it would be nice if Instagram compensated content creators with money on the platform similar to youtube, including reposts. So if a reposting account with 200k followers reposted your work you'd directly benefit. I think this should be standard on all platforms with user generated content, surely this is a no brainer.

[@killsync2130]

Russ Etheridge some kind of DRM built into the system perhaps.

[@rubblereport]

@@killsync2130 something like that possibly yeah. Obv you don't want to destroy the platform with restrictions. Maybe a union too haha?

[@lunacouer]

You made such great points here. Artists need help, not only with reposting, but straight up having their art stolen. Places like Urban Outfitters are notorious for this. Most artists can't afford a lawyer to sue the thieves. Like you said Russ, most of the time, all they can do is request them to stop and take it down. And what are artists supposed to do when someone overseas copy/pastes their design from Instagram, slaps it on a tote bag and sells it on Amazon or Etsy? This is where I think the platforms need to hold people accountable, because our laws and regulations are nowhere near caught up with online theft. KZbin's copyright system is definitely not ideal, but at least they're trying. Maybe an algorithm that compares upload dates and asks you "We detected that so-and-so reposted your work. Did you give them permission to do this?" And I would love to see an online union for artists. It's too hard for individual creators to tackle all this alone.

[@EllidaWangel]

I'm writing a master's thesis about instagramming in art museums, and the paper by Budge that you mentioned is very relevant for me. Never thought I'd find a new source to cite while procrastinating away from writing, but here we are. Thanks!

[@JoiskiMe]

Thanks for the insightful video essay:) appreciate that you state your sources!

[@dhiatamaputra1953]

now since you're talking about instagram, how about you make a video about "Google art and culture, and the future of art", I find it fascinating, It looks like "virtual" gallery and museum, and since there's VR technology, how will it affect art world?

[@alastairwatchman7934]

Informative and insightful as always, great work, I love these videos!

[@KannikCat]

Another wonderful and insightful video! Love your exploration of the many different ways Instagram has changed and influenced things -- both for good and for ill. And how, in the end, the good or ill is shaped primarily how we choose to use (or abuse) it. Also, I have very much implemented an "observe, be present, then take photos" rule for myself when I visit somewhere. It's all to easy to get lost in the mechanism but also the potential future impact of a picture and miss out on what I'm actually standing in front of, and especially the unfiltered experience of it. So (if I choose to bring a camera at all, though with a phone that's pretty much always YES these days :P) I ensure I walk and look and see and feel and think and do all the things before giving time to capturing it for posterity. :)

[@killsync2130]

Oliver Bollmann all good reasons and points there

[@bettytigers]

A useful and thought provoking synopsis! Thank You

[@idiotsloveboxes]

We’re talking about Instagram & Internet & smartphones, but so much of this applies just plain ol’ cameras & photo albums going back a century. We can ask why do people instagram art et al, but why did consumers in 1970 or 1993 or 2006 own cameras which took on vacation to museums & later had those pictures developed & put in a frame or photo album in their home? What is the difference between your pictures on social media and your pictures on the walls of your home going back years? Is there a difference?

[@bilal_ahmed1011]

As an artist, the idea of delay in posting an artwork is a very anxious process. You feel concious of the clout you created while posting regularly and it does affect my artwork. But when people like my work on instagram i even love the experience. So i am quite in a fix in this situation. Very well documented work maam. You speak really well, with astute clarity. Well done masha Allah.

[@Bonsees]

"or you might just even take pictures for your own memories... which I think we can all agree is weird." I feel so attacked right now 😂

[@cjthibeau4843]

A video I SHALL be sharing to my students as soon as possible! Great discussion topic!!

[@rbbrfish]

Punching some "thumbs up" icon does NOT do homage to the respect I have for your intellect and point of view on these things. Would honorific hand gestures and the drinking of the Sacramental Rum do instead? Seriously, I learn from you, Sarah Urist Green...and that is a priceless gift. Thank you.

[@selo4485]

Even if it can help some artists, it doesn't change it. It kills it.

[@cch5ng]

when the Broad museum first opened, it was super trendy and it was really difficult to walk a couple of steps without getting into someone's photo. that kind of made my experience feel claustrophobic. one of my critiques when observing people taking photos at a museum/gallery is that it appears as though the entire experience of the art is done through the camera. they might only take enough time with an artwork in order to snap a photo and then it is off to the next piece. that is similarly what I don't like about the experience of art on instagram. I follow a bunch of museums across the US and like seeing their posts. however, there is so much content on instagram that I feel like I end up giving a cursory glance and like, and kind of lose that more meaningful engagement with one/few artworks/artists that I'm more likely to experience in person.

[@rjramun]

Moundverse was an excellent exhibit at Mass MoCA, I'm lucky to have been able to experience it.

[@OdairASilva]

Amazing video as always! - Greetings from Brazil!

[@normapadro420]

I like your video. It's very informative. I'm always looking around for new ones.

[@AngelaBonanza]

This was so interesting!! I found myself several years ago obsessively trying to take photos of everything in museums to preserve and document my experience, and it made me feel so removed from the actual art. I'm a lot better now at reminding myself that I can't possibly preserve the whole experience, and I spend much more of my time in museums looking deeply at the art and description, and only taking a photo of the ones that really speak to me. It's so much nicer and less anxiety inducing!!

[@killsync2130]

The act of taking photos of your experiences is still very important. Think of all the memories from your distant past that you would have forgotten or not even realized they happened if it wasn’t for photographs showing you doing them.

[@killsync2130]

Angela Bonanza you’re also right in saying that nothing digital can fully replace the experience of a museum. At least not yet. Maybe a synthetic memory, but that’s far into the future.

[@jennypai3763]

this is very interesting to me, because i definitely believe that social media in general has had influences on all things in many ways, so people and institutions definitely has changed to better accommodate. but in terms of photo sharing on instagram, and the articles about them regarding peoples experiences, I don't entirely agree. while I am a millennial, i don't have instagram, only facebook. i do love museums, and i do love to take photos of exhibits and places i go to, but i always take them after i have actually looked and experienced, and i actually don't like to take selfies in these situations. and sometimes i might want to share with people photos of where i've been, but i don't always do.

[@giadapieropan5359]

There’s a lot to think about! think a case could definitely be made of Olafur Eliasson’s Tate exhibit (which I loved), as there’s no day passing by that I don’t see people posting a selfie on social media in his “Your Uncertain Shadow”. Of course most people already knew him and loved his work, but many game to see him for “instagrammable pics”. And Tate has a good thought behind this... Love this video 🙂

[@pinguaina]

Thank you so much. I love your videos.

[@m0thteeth30]

Although instagram has done a lot for art it also seems like it takes a toll mentally, like for example sometimes I'll feel pressured to create something even thought I don't feel inspired just because I haven't posted in a while. Instagram has helped me connect with other artists but it's also changed the way I think when drawing something. Often I'll think "will this get likes?" Which obviously shows how much I have a constant need for validation

[@jottes5000]

Thank you for the research and a very interesting video! ❤️

[@roseliu7465]

Brilliant video as always! Artnet News apparently did 2 articles on the artist, and the exhibition that “defined the last decade.” “What is the exhibition or artist do you think that defined the last decade?” is a BIG question! Would love to see your take on this!!

[@ahshumabubaker5407]

you're hair look so good omg go queen

[@MRlukeno2]

Really thought provoking video!

[@lopez.stephanie1991]

This is true. For me as an artist online @ Joy and Grace Artistry, I see art changing a lot!

[@petitio_principii]

I was watching from auto-play, just listening really, then got surprised to see that the person speaking wasn't the host of "the financial diet" channel. More so than to imagine her speaking about Instagram, which would be somewhat off the typical topics.

[@tiesthijsthejs]

I expected this video-essay to focus some attention on the sped up mimetic aspect of social media exposure of anything as framed content and nothing, the inflation of uniqueness of exposure, how anyone is a set of eyes facilitated by tech, how this instant nonstop machinery changes the fundamental mechanisms of framing, into... well i dont know yet.

[@senglomein5766]

Social media in general is just noise. And it never ends. The day goes by and the only thing actually retained is carpal tunnel syndrome. So you go outside. Look around, and you’re reminded that we don’t do this anymore-just living. I long for the day, when we can say, in person…”hey, you remember when we all forgot how to be human, like forfeited instinct and common knowledge and the shared physical experience? You know when we were basically forced to interact through a controlled\artificial digital venue that seemed free-and we thought it would never go away?”

[@MrSthotwhelz]

Ask a question in a headline and the answer is usually "no" or a more nuanced answer. Great exploration as per usual.

[@cn9800]

I love her voice and cadence.

[@AnimeMaster1001]

"who takes pictures for their own memories?" UMMM me??? I have tons of photos and I don't post any of them. I'm tempted to, but EGHHH i don't want to feel obligated to do it. I do feel that pull sometimes when I'm outside, that if I take a picture it sort of proves i'm living?? I do like to print photos tho! Does anyone do this?!?! lmao.

[@fathimasstudio]

Same here, I do this all the time and always have, that was such a weird comment :?

[@erikapearce1801]

Yup! I do all the time! I thought that was such a wierd thing to say

[@rosemanning2508]

It was supposed to be a joke. Like a sarcastic dig at the 'pictures or it didn't happen' culture

[@penelopeclaire539]

Yes! I do it because I have a pretty bad memory and if I like an artwork or I'm having a good time, I want to be able to look back on that moment and see it in detail.

[@gaildahlas]

Yup. I'm super sentimental and love to take (and print) photos to remember certain days by. I'm sure one day I'll put them into an album, but for the time being they're just a pile of good memories with dates and times on them.

[@LadderProductionFilms]

Really love your series. Please make an essay on video art!

[@chau3434]

i mostly take pictures to remember things, but sometimes i like sharing them too

[@frankj.2426]

Thanks for making a video about this topic. I think it should be considered deeply by anyone who considers themselves an artist today.

[@radkidsart]

It's also pretty cool that we have access to artists we love, just one DM away. People can message me about my art; something that could never happen before social media.

[@everorchid]

I'm an artist and art historian, with very poor visual memory. I visit hundreds of exhibitions and don't remember well what I have seen. Thus I've spent my life photographing art for my memories only (in regards to when you say 'who does that')

[@killsync2130]

everorchid good point. imagine a life without any of those photos of our childhoods taken and shared with us by our parents. Some of those memories of moments past, could just as well have not ever happened. So many people from the distant past I would not have even known I had crossed paths with, if it wasn’t for old photographs shown to me by my mother.

[@DasGanon]

I think it's amazing but there's a sort of part 2 to this: Performance Art and recording. No two shows are ever exactly the same, but most contemporary scripts have "no recording" as part of the licensing, which means most Plays are lost to the ether. For archival purposes it's good to have something. And then you get to the "we need people to see this" aspect. Like, Hamilton is still really hard to get tickets to, even if you're where it's being performed, which actually makes the "Hamilton Bootleg" a public service for those who cannot attend. What other great art has been lost due to the ephemeral nature of it?

[@cheezelz100]

6:38 “Something I hope we look back on and think of as an amusing step in the direction of a more technologically sophisticated future” damn now that’s throwing shade