How Instagram became the modern artist’s most important tool: galleries and Art Basel use the platform to scout talent, while Banksy, Beeple and Takashi Murakami became digital celebrities
There’s zero doubt that Instagram has become a game-changer for artists looking to gain exposure and connect with wider audiences. Though artists do utilise other social media platforms, none are more important than “IG”, whose visual nature is perfect for both creators and art lovers.
It may even be nearing the point where, from a business perspective, artists who don’t utilise Instagram are putting themselves at a disadvantage. Instagram accounts have become the de facto online portfolio that showcases not only an artist’s talent and creativity, but also their popularity and ability to build a following.
Instagram has become such an integral tool for artists because it allows them to amass followings in so many ways. Many artists build followings by posting regularly, sharing stories, using reels and hashtags and interacting with fans. They can also network with other artists and have more successful artist or gallery pages share their work. Others can master the algorithm, get somewhat lucky and “go viral” with one explosive post. The possibilities are endless.
Many artists attribute a large portion of their success to Instagram, including digital illustration artist Donna Adi, who has over 170,000 followers after years of steady growth.
“I can definitely confirm that posting my work online and on Instagram has really helped me gain exposure and to be in the right hands. So, yeah, I think Instagram is actually the platform that really helped my career take off,” Adi told the Pencil Kings Podcast. “And, yeah, I just want to confirm that because I keep trying to demystify how people can build audiences or build businesses or get hired.”
Adi believes that artists starting off nowadays should be tuned into Instagram and other platforms’ algorithms. Though Instagram is an important tool, it has been around for a while and as a result, the market is saturated and competition is fierce.
“Social media is a huge driver of business today, particularly for artists and creatives looking to extend their brand footprint and reach the masses,” she said on the podcast. “As a digital creator and visual artist, I recognised the power of Instagram and the necessity of a high social IQ early on – I maintain a robust social media strategy that has been paramount in navigating an increasingly saturated market. Understanding the pros and cons and nuances of the digital landscape has pushed me to challenge myself and grow quickly as an artist. It takes constant reinvention, innovation and evolution while still staying true to myself and my vision.”
Adi is a big advocate of artists focusing on their passion, blocking out the noise and focusing on one thing at a time, be it a specific niche or a specific platform. It is easy to get distracted with so much content around, and growth can often be slow and discouraging.
“There are a lot of different ways to find success, but choosing the right path for you is difficult. What happens and what I see end up happening is that people try to do a bunch of different things. And I’ve tried to do this as well. And it’s hard to get traction on anything. But if you just focus on one thing, like Instagram, then you can start to get traction and momentum. And then after you have momentum, you can let that lead into creating other things,” she said.
Some other notables to embrace the platform include Nigerian visual artist Victor Ehikhamenor, Thai performing artist Kawita Vatanajyankur and veteran British painter Anne Rothenstein.
- Big-name artists like Banksy, Takashi Murakami and Beeple have leveraged the photo-centric social media platform as a de facto online portfolio that reaches millions of followers
- Instagram is also a game-changer for rising stars like Donna Adi and Anna Weyant – who was discovered by Gagosian Gallery – while Art Basel 2023 showcases ever-popular David Shrigley