The Impact of the Internet on the Art World
The History of Art has shown us that artists have been insistently looking for new forms and unconventional means to express themselves. In the early 20th century, they began to challenge the traditional perception of art by introducing new elements, such as everyday objects. New computer tools progressed hand in hand with artistic progress.Tools such as social networks and smartphones marked technological development in an impactful way, as they transformed the way in whichwe experience and share information and images. The community of art lovers had the opportunity to expand globally through these digital platforms.
If a decade ago conversations about art were in the competence of a small group of people, today we see how people can get information quickly and easily on Google or on social networks. Digital platforms have managed to democratize access to art, completely revolutionizing this medium. More and more people are buying art online, as in 2015 when auction sales went down, the online market grew by 24% and, in 2017, exceeded $4.2 billion. This digital revolution provided an increase in the frequency of visitors to museums and galleries, due to the availability of information about exhibitions. Museums like MoMA, Louvre, Tate, among others, are currently followed by millions of people. There are several exhibitions that become real successes on social networks, leading to much more public to visit them, such as the mirrored rooms of Yayoi Kusama - 160,000 visitors went to see the Hirschhorn Museum exhibition in 2017, twice the average audience.On the other hand, the vast amount of information available makes navigating this complex artistic universe difficult. Many questions are raised: What is the source of reliable information? What is the true value of the work of art? What are the parameters to take into account?Many doubts arise in this new universe of virtual sales, however platforms are increasingly providing the buyer with the necessary information so that there is no doubt and for him to realize that the emotional value between the piece and the spectator is essential.
Yayoi Kusama
How Has the Pandemic Changed the Way We See Art?
The pandemic forced the art world to surrender to the internet as the only possible exhibition space. In this way, the online art market has seen its sales rise exponentially due to the closure of museums, fairs and auctions due to the pandemic. In the first half of 2020, Christie's, Sotheby's and Phillips recorded revenues of US$370 million, five times more than in the same period of 2019.
“Social distancing has forced a new form of online engagement which might forever alter the way the art market, and its stakeholders, approach their digital presence.”
Christie's
Innovations that Emerged During the Pandemic
The ability of art world spaces to reinvent themselves during the pandemic was almost immediate, with the launch of lectures, interviews and tours of artists' galleries and studios. In museology, there was a new experience that spread like wildfire: virtual visits to major museums and galleries. With this tool, Google provided the opportunity for anyone to be able to visit one of the main art museums in the comfort of their own home. Institutions realized that they could not continue only in the traditional channels they were used to and began to bet on the online world. An example of this is the Serpentine Gallery in London, which has started to use channels such as Twitch, a live streaming platform for gamers, to offer guided tours of its installations. Later, online fairs also appeared, such as the one organized by the New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA).
“Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the art world has seen an amazing amount of goodwill and support, as well as innovation and collaboration, particularly online. Although the new post-COVID art market will not be online only, the art market has finally embraced the digital transformation and is now in a better position to adapt to change in the long term”
In fact, during the pandemic, the internet and its platforms have constantly helped artists to survive. This has become a great means of commerce in art, in a simpler and more accessible way. With the development of lack of definition, it is difficult to predict whether everything will go back to the way it was before. However, overall, 80% of online art sales platforms expect sales growth in the coming year. In particular, 65% believe that the crisis will lead to permanent changes, in which the online business will be an essential and strong component.
Leon Zernitsky
In fact, this trade has grown more and more, as we can see from the success of NFT's (Non-fungible tokens). Blockchain technology and NFTs offer artists and creators a unique opportunity to sell directly to the consumer, allowing them to keep the lion's share of the profits. Another very attractive feature is the possibility of being able to program them to receive a percentage of the profits from their own art, whenever it is sold to a new owner. NFTs are a recent technology and their future is uncertain, however they have had a great impact in art lately. Until now, the internet has been offering more practical and easier access to the production, visualization and sale of works of art, in addition to expanding the relationship between consumer and seller.
Beeple