Impact of Social Media on Commercializing Contemporary Art Forms

Abstract

The predominance of social media platforms in recent decades has brought significant and transformative influence in the contemporary art world. Utilizing the technical affordances and innovative features in visual storytelling,  artists across different fields are leveraging these platforms to promote and commercialize their artistic expression. These platforms offer specific types of content delivery and interactions to build audience communities shaping their artistic persona and commercial value. This study adopted a case study approach to investigate the social media strategies of commercially successful artists in popular culture. It examined how platforms facilitate artist self-marketing to curate online presence, driving recognition and commercial success. The study concluded that the blend of artistic expression and identity in social media discourse has a cultural impact which in turn influences commercialization. Moreover, their strategic popularity in digital spaces and artistic influence amplify their offline recognition leading to commercialization and brand collaborations.