The rise of COVID-19 meant increased media consumption, with the average screen time in Western Countries, including France, Germany, Spain, the UK and the US, doubling since before the pandemic. (1) This increase in digital media consumption also means the potential to be more exposed to the online arts community, which has had to grow during the pandemic as it has had to respond to changing economic conditions. (2) Both galleries and individual artists have had to shift their modes of showcasing works to stay afloat. Galleries have moved to online guided tours, social media accounts that showcase pieces and even in-depth digitizations of some works of art. (3) Artists have created art accounts and hashtags to showcase their works to increase awareness and the potential to sell more, especially during economically challenging times. (4) With this increase in digital media use comes a more global perspective, with artists from all over the world sharing art on the same platforms, with similar hashtags, allowing users to explore artists beyond their geographical regions, limits that an art gallery would usually create.
In the age where more non-Western countries have increased access to the internet and are increasing their exposure to Western art, the opposite is true as well. (5) Unfortunately, even in our postcolonial society, Western perspectives and Western standards continue to be enforced. This can be seen in many forms beyond visual art, including in historical examples of colonization, like the removal and conversions of certain religions, and in contemporary society, like the Western beauty standards present in so much popular media. The increased participation from global artists online raises the question of how art may change in our digitally connected online world.
Increased access to international artists may help spur the global art economy, with artists reaching specific audiences they were not able to before via social media. Additionally, international galleries may gain more traction, with the ability to attract foreign guests who may not be able to afford a trip to another country but are willing to spend money for an online tour. This increased accessibility in the economy is not insignificant. It can be leveraged by many individual artists and organizations for both representations of diverse voices and a new platform for socioeconomic growth, especially if local economies are struggling. It will be interesting to monitor, now and into the future, how the hegemonic Western standard of art changes and if it will begin to blend with art from other cultures. For example, we might see East Asian and Indian art becoming more prevalent in our increasingly globalized society, especially as populations grow and proportional representation online with it.
Additionally, there is a real possibility that there might become a more universal idea or art style. With the rise of a global “internet culture,” blends of different popular media from across other geographic regions may work to create their own hegemonic visual culture. New art styles may arise from the combinations of popular international styles. This trajectory has already been seen in the sense that new, digital art styles are inherently more accessible. From VR renditions of Van Gogh paintings to art that solely exists in a digital form, like crypto art which is bought and traded solely on digital platforms, there are new contemporary forms that thrive in this digital space and would not survive in traditional spaces like galleries. COVID has pushed these forms forward, perhaps even increasing their production, but at the very least legitimizing and bringing awareness to their existence.
Post-pandemic, it would make sense that the integration of different global styles persists. Furthermore, with the projection that two-thirds of the world’s global population will have access to the internet by 2023, (6) it makes sense that international perspectives will only increase, with more artists from more places able to display, sell, and share their art online. This transition to a global art economy could be beneficial both economically and socially for representation and education on non-Western art. In addition, it would be a great tool to break down the hegemony of Western art traditions and work as a decolonizing force within society.
Endnotes
(1) "Global online content consumption doubles in the wake of COVID," WARC, September 24, 2o20, https://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/news/global-online-content-consumption-doubles-in-wake-of-covid/44130 (accessed August 20, 2021).
(2) Annie Armstrong, "Museums, Curators, and Artist Find Innovative Solutions for Showing Art in a Pandemic," Artsy, March 19, 2020, https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-museums-curators-artists-find-innovative-solutions-showing-art-pandemic (accessed August 20, 2021).
(3) Caitlin Chien Clerkin and Bradley L. Taylor, "Online Encounters with Museum Antiquities," American Journal of Archaeology 125, N0. 1 (January 2021): 167, https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.3764/aja.125.1.0165 (accessed August 20, 2021).
(4) Armstrong, "Museums, Curators, and Artist Find Innovative Solutions for Showing Art in a Pandemic."
(5) Max Roser, Hannah Ritchie, and Esteban Ortiz-Ospina, "Internet," Our World in Data, 2015, https://ourworldindata.org/internet (accessed August 20, 2021).
(6) "Cisco Annual Internet Report (2018-2023)," Cisco, March 9, 2020, https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/solutions/collateral/executive-perspectives/annual-internet-report/white-paper-c11-741490.html (accessed August 20, 2021).