In Defense of Social Media as a Force for Good in Art
I recently read an article in The Arts Newspaper about artist Josh Kline’s criticism of social media and just felt I had to do a personal commentary.
Josh Kline’s exhibition Social Media critiques online platforms, portraying them as harbingers of artistic commodification, reduced quality, and the erasure of privacy. While these concerns reflect valid challenges, I would argue that social media, when viewed through a different lens, has been a profoundly positive force for the art world, democratizing access, amplifying voices, and fostering new creative forms.
Josh Kline, Professional Default Swaps, 2024. 3D-printed sculptures in acrylic-based photopolymer resin; steel, low-iron tempered glass, plywood, custom tinted polyurethane paint, tinted acrylic enamel paint, UV protective coating, and museum wax, 37 1/2 x 50 x 30 inches. © Josh Kline. Courtesy the artist and Lisson Gallery.
Democratization of the Art World
Social media has revolutionized the accessibility of art. Once, the art world was a gated community, dominated by institutional gatekeepers, exclusive galleries, and insiders. Today, platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and even Twitter have dismantled many of these barriers. Artists from diverse backgrounds, geographies, and socio-economic contexts can now share their work with a global audience. This democratization empowers creatives who may not have had the resources or connections to break into the traditional art world.
Consider the impact of artists like Yayoi Kusama or Olafur Eliasson, whose works have achieved mass engagement and recognition in part due to social media. Platforms allow audiences to not just see art but to engage with it, turning once-passive spectators into active participants. This interaction is not the "dumbing down" of art but a reframing of how we experience it.
Expanding the Concept of Art
Social media is also reshaping what we consider art. Digital art, AR filters, memes, and even viral TikToks are now part of the cultural conversation. This diversification of mediums fosters innovation and breaks away from the rigid hierarchies of “high art.” Artists are creating works designed specifically for digital consumption, challenging traditional notions of materiality and permanence.
Rather than cheapening art, this evolution underscores its adaptability and resilience. Far from being "divorced from meaning," digital-first works often confront contemporary issues—climate change, social justice, or the pandemic—directly in the spaces where these conversations are happening.
The New Patronage
Kline critiques the celebrification of artists and the self-promotion required on social media, calling it “self-trafficking.” But in many ways, social media has simply modernized the age-old relationship between artist and audience. Historically, artists relied on wealthy patrons or royal courts for survival. Today, artists connect directly with their patrons—whether through likes, shares, crowdfunding, or merchandise sales—creating more autonomous forms of support.
Social media enables niche audiences to sustain niche creators, bypassing the art market’s traditional reliance on a handful of mega-collectors. This direct relationship fosters a sense of community, empowering artists to retain creative control while cultivating sustainable careers.
Challenging Institutions and Amplifying Marginalized Voices
Social media has also been a critical tool for challenging entrenched power dynamics within the art world. Movements like #MeToo and #DecolonizeTheMuseum have gained traction thanks to the amplification power of social platforms. Artists and activists use these tools to hold institutions accountable, question cultural narratives, and demand representation.
Marginalized voices—queer artists, Indigenous creators, and artists of color—have found unprecedented visibility online. These platforms allow for self-representation, bypassing curatorial filters that often reflect entrenched biases.
The Artist as a Brand
Yes, social media asks artists to brand themselves—but is this inherently bad? Branding doesn’t have to mean selling out. It can be an act of self-definition, a way to assert control over one’s narrative in an increasingly crowded cultural space. Artists have always balanced their creative and professional lives; social media simply shifts how this balance is navigated.
Moreover, the “celebrification” of artists is not without precedent. Picasso was a celebrity. Warhol leaned into fame. Kusama, whose social media fame rivals her institutional recognition, uses her visibility to reinforce her art’s themes of infinity and connection. The difference today is that artists have more control over their celebrity personas than ever before.
A Tool, Not a Threat
Social media is not inherently good or bad—it’s a tool. Its value depends on how it’s used. Kline may find Instagram disheartening, but for many artists, it’s an essential lifeline. It fosters collaboration, sparks creativity, and provides opportunities unimaginable in previous decades. If anything, the challenge for artists is not to reject social media but to use it more mindfully—to create connections rather than comparisons, to inspire rather than imitate.
Far from destroying the art world, social media is reshaping it. It is empowering artists, democratizing access, and expanding the boundaries of creative expression. Art is not being "dumbed down"; it is evolving—becoming more inclusive, more participatory, and more dynamic than ever. Instead of mourning the change, we should embrace it as the natural progression of a living, breathing cultural ecosystem.
