The Algorithm and the Eye: Social Media's Complicated Relationship With Contemporary Art Discovery
Instagram and TikTok have handed emerging artists an unprecedented platform, bypassing the traditional gatekeepers who once controlled access to the art market—but the same tools that democratize discovery also reward spectacle over substance. This opinion piece examines how galleries are navigating the tension between algorithmic visibility and curatorial integrity, and what the generational shift in how collectors find art means for the future of the contemporary market.