Art has taken a new meaning during this social media era, people are now snapping photos of art pieces of every kind only for the gram. It gets confusing trying to analyze how millennials are using Art for social acceptance or for the "aesthetics". Even when it is clear that the art world is gaining popularity because of this behavior, the concerns about missing out the real meaning of each piece are evident.
The constant desire for sharing an ideal life where art is essential and part of a higher social class has made us seeing art as the perfect complement for our candid photos.
And I have to ask myself: Am I being guilty of partaking in this millennial way of appreciating art?
Yes!, multiple times I have taken the perfect photo in front of an art piece first and learned about the piece itself after. In my opinion, it is concerning how the real substance of the art piece is not being analyzed in detail by millennials who do this, right? Most people only think about the visual aspect and the possibility of decorating themselves with the art piece for Instagram and the likes.
This concern reminds me of my own designs and the struggle I sometimes encounter when sharing my story. Sometimes I don't really know if people want to hear the story behind my sustainable clothes or if they only want to see a beautiful dress or look. I understand that a few people want to go in-depth in terms of knowing what I am doing to sustain the fashion industry with my design and production techniques, but more than 60% of people are only seeing with their eyes (if you know what I mean, you know!).
I don't feel proud of taking photos like this if I think about the situation from an art critic's perspective, but since I am a social media influencer who uses art as her background for her photos I see this as "the new way of liking art in this century". I love art and going to museums, so why not show this love on Instagram?
This concept or tendency applies mostly for murals or modern art, which is more in tuned with Instagram's style or aesthetic, which is very colorful and "happy." When you see classic paintings on social media, the photo would have an elegant and more refined look (something like I am wealthy, well-educated, and I am at a palace with renaissance art pieces, even when you are only visiting a museum).
For now, we would have to question ourselves and ask if Millennials are really into art and the meaning behind it, or if the Gram is adding another way of appreciating art by taking photos and getting likes for it. I want to be positive and see this as the best way of keeping the art world more active for all the generations.
So while you start writing your opinion below, I want to show you some photos of my outfit and really cool murals with collage-style in Asbury Park, NJ. These murals were located along the boardwalk which was reinvented and decorated with public art to contribute to Asbury Park’s character. They add a summer, vibrant vibe to the place and that means a great location for one-of-a-kind photos and an analysis of the perspective of the artists who created them.
Lina Mayorga
@fashionfabnews
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