is Instagram the fast food chain of the art world?

I was reminded when perusing a book on art history recently of how rich the experience of witnessing art in person can really be.

Reproductions of paintings simply jumped off the page, exciting me with their depth and exquisite color palette. This is similar to the emotion I feel when visiting a gallery or art museum - nothing can compare to witnessing work framed and displayed in a way that commands the viewer's attention. This I can equate to fine dining, where both environment and menu work to offer a memorable experience to the diner.

So where does Instagram enter this equation and how does it relate to the above? When considering the utilitarian nature of Instagram I do see parallels comparing the experience provided to that of a fast-food restaurant, with reasoning as below.

1) Accessibility

Just like fast food chains Instagram widely available. In both cases visitors enter with set expectations of the experience. In contrast to the uniqueness of fine restaurants/galleries Instagram/fast food offers an environment that is comfortably familiar.

2) Quality of experience

Whereas galleries and fine dining establishments view the provision of a quality client experience as a primary focus, our comparisons remain centered around volume and speed.

Many of us have cherished memories of visits to certain art establishments and fine restaurants throughout life, but who remembers a trip to the local burger chain?

3) Clientele

As a result of the expected experience our comparisons drive a different kind of clientele. Galleries are more likely to attract those who have a greater appreciation of the finer arts, whereas Instagram satisfies the immediacy of a less expectant public.

That is not to say that one should be valued over the other, but the impact of each should be understood and used accordingly to meet personal objectives.

Considerations

Now that I have made those comparisons, allow me to go on to what I feel are both the benefits and drawbacks of publishing on Instagram

Instagram Benefits

- Instagram is a ubiquitous platform that provides a global exposure for your work

- the ability to create reels and stories can offer additional value to your audience

- hashtags allow work to be directed toward targeted viewers. This can lead to a greater following from those who appreciate your work

- periodic posts allows reminders to those who choose to follow your journey

- Instagram provides a platform to share work you may not wish to include as part of your preferred portfolio

- it is easy to gauge the impact of your work by way of Instagram likes & comment feedback

Instagram Drawbacks

- viewers are not witnessing your work in its best form, likely not navigating past the thumbnail provided to them

- due to the mass volume of work presented to viewers they are likely to spend less timeappreciating work as they might when displayed otherwise (personal website etc)

- the quality of the viewer's experience can leave a diluted impression of your artistry

- the pressure to satisfy followers and post often can result in a willingness to publish inferior work. This may be work that does not present your core values or style, or work that lacks the quality that an audience should expect.

Conclusion

Instagram performs a wonderful service for the general public, allowing users to share their pictures to family friends and beyond. However, serious photographers who use IG as part of their marketing strategy need to do so with caution. It is important that every post, reel or story published reflects the artistic identity of the photographer and tease the viewer into wanting to see more.

Each post should be viewed as an opportunity to drive the viewer to your website, where they can then engage with the highest quality content that best reflects your artistic style and provides more of a fine dining like experience.

I'd love to hear the opinions of others, how/if they are currently using Instagram and to what end. Do you agree with the fast-food analogy, or do you see a different purpose in the platform?