Scrolling through your Instagram feed doesn’t have to feel like a waste of time or an exercise in trying not to feel jealous of other people’s fancy vacations. With a few well-chosen additions to your Following list, Instagram can easily become a source of creative inspiration and an efficient way of staying up to date with the contemporary art world.
We’ve selected ten of the best Instagram accounts to follow for art inspiration. Whether you want to discover incredible emerging painters or learn about the influential conceptual artists, at least one of these beautifully curated art accounts is sure to be of interest.
An added bonus: once you start following more art-focused accounts and hitting Like on the works that you like, your Explore page will likely start offering up some interesting new artists as Instagram realizes that you are, in fact, a cultured lover of fine art, and not just a regular old Instagram user who’s into memes and cute dog photos. (Not that memes and cute dog photos can’t be art too.)
Ppppppppppaint
Created by artist John Karel, this account reposts a diverse selection of contemporary painters, with a frequent focus on bold colors. If you’re looking to get inspired by the work of emerging artists, this is the feed to follow. It’s also available on Tumblr.
Art Viewer
Art Viewer is an artist non-profit based in Antwerp, Belgium. Their Instagram feed offers a well-curated selection of contemporary art exhibitions and events. Give Art Viewer a follow to stay up to date on what’s currently going on in the art world; every image includes a caption with more information about the artists and location of the exhibit pictured, so this feed is a great introduction to a variety of interesting galleries and creators.
ARTCUBE
This widely-followed feed offers a mix of current and historic images for a good mix of inspiration. No matter what kind of work you’re into, you’re likely to find something of interest via ARTCUBE.
Work2day
The work of artist Jason Gringler, this feed is a carefully curated collection with a focus on conceptual art. Richard Serra, Walead Beshty, and Matias Faldbakken make regular appearances. Recommended for fans of minimalism and Arte Povera.
Kunstsammler
With a name that means “art collector” in German, this account is a treasure trove of contemporary art. Minimal captions simply name the artist behind each work. Great for those who want some visual inspiration in their feed and would rather not read detailed captions.
Young Space
Launched by curator Kate Mothes, Young Space is a platform for emerging contemporary artists. This Instagram feed showcases a range of up-and-coming creators from across the world, often with detailed captions discussing their work. Young Space also hosts online exhibitions which you can submit work to; this feed is a must-follow for emerging artists looking to find like-minded peers and potentially submit work.
Who’s who
This anonymous account which pairs similar works together is an entertaining follow for anyone interested in how different artists and art movements influence each other. The real gold is in the comments, where the featured artists often respond (sometimes gleefully, sometimes offended), and followers add their takes on who copied whom. A comment from @hatrobot, aka artist Chris Bodily, says it best: “The most interesting thing about this account is that the poster simply posts the images. It’s the commenters that make assumptions about what’s being said.” Take a look, and draw your own conclusions.
Art Followers
Sharing a range of stunning contemporary art, David Levy’s Art Followers will add a nice pop of visual inspiration to any art lover’s feed, with imagery that includes sculpture, installation, painting, and more.
Contemporary Untitled
Similar to @whos__who, this account draws attention to trends and common themes in contemporary art by posting sets of three similar artworks by three different artists. Without providing any context beyond the works and the artists’ names, it’s up to the viewer to decide which piece may have inspired which, or who might have “copied” or imitated whom. Regardless of your take on copying in the art world, Contemporary Untitled offers a fascinating introduction to a range of important artists and genres.
Canvvas
Dedicated to showcasing the best of contemporary painting, Canvvas shares several interesting works every week, with detailed captions naming and dating each work so that you can easily find out more about featured pieces.
More art inspiration:
11 Artists Keeping Collage Contemporary
20 Incredible Illustration Portfolio Examples You Should Bookmark
Who Does the Tate Follow on Instagram?
Cover image: Andy Warhol drawing Debbie Harry on an Amiga computer, 1985. Photo by Allan Tannenbaum via Art Cube.
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