Decades ago a trip to an art gallery meant wandering through endless open spaces with artworks incomprehensible to anyone without an art degree. Galleries were marketed to exclusive art collectors who were undoubtedly wealthy. In 2020, the art world dramatically shifted. People, now stuck at home, were unable to visit galleries and museums, thus the IRL nature of art browsing and collecting quickly moved to the internet. People from all walks of life were overnight able to connect directly with artists through Instagram. On this newly leveled playing field, art lovers were able to interact with art daily on their phones and invest in viral artists. The art industry is in a state of flux that’s exciting, humbling, and sexy. It’s speaking directly to a younger, more diverse breed of collectors that are interacting with art on their own terms.

These new art collectors, forged within the Age of Information, are spending a majority of their time online, attempting to keep their finger on the pulse of the world. They navigate life from their couches, armed with a perfect mix of know-it-all realness and awkward anxiousness.

They are the unabashed selfie generation, who see art as an extension of their personal brand. They acquire collections that express who they are and what they want others to see them as.

These nonconformists are drawn to artwork that has meaning and reflects what matters, rather than investing in big-name artists they most likely can’t afford because they’re in between jobs. Millennial collectors instead want to discover the art world’s next rising star, hidden amongst under-the-radar artists. To succeed at bringing an unknown artist into the spotlight, satisfies their altruistic urges and proves they should be given credit for more than just coming up with avocado toast.

Sure they may be buried in student loan debt and may need to move back in with their parents, but they are contributing to a more open art world; one that embraces diversity, rebels against the status quo and most importantly seeks an easier and more enjoyable way of collecting art. As an added bonus, they’re more than willing to let us air it all on television. In this series, Curated Culture offers a genuine glimpse into the morphing art landscape, through the lens of both the art lover and the artist.