In 1976, there were more “photographs than bricks” in the world, according to the legendary photography curator John Szarkowski—and that was way before the emergence of mainstream social media. Now on Instagram alone, there are 20 billion shared photos, with 60 million posts a day and 8,500 likes per second. And it comes as no surprise that the most enthusiastic users of this image-disseminating network are artists.
Being acutely sensitive to the visual world around them—and equipped to record it—artists ranging from emerging talents to internationally famous figures have been uploading backstage documentation of their studio process, candid snapshots of their social lives, and the visual phenomena around them that catches their eye, be it artworks or artful food porn. Following their accounts sometimes provides intimate access to their creative process, and just as often is just plain fun. Here’s a roundup of some of the most engaging artists to follow.
Ai Weiwei – aiww
Alex Israel – alexisrael
Alex Prager – alexprager
Amie Dicke – amiedicke
Ana Bagayan – anabagayan
Andrea Blanch – andreablanch
Andrew Kuo – earlboykins
Anh Duong – anhduongart
Aris Moore– arismoore
Asif M. Farooq – oleasif
Assume Vivid Astro Focus– assumevividastrofocus
Barry McGee – barrymcgeeart
Becca Albee – beccaalbee
Betty Tompkins – bettytompkins
Brendan Fowler – brendanfowlerbrendanfowler
Brian Adam Douglas – elbowtoe
Brian Bress – brianbress
Christopher Anderson – christopherandersonphoto
Christopher Mir – christophermir
Colin Blakely – colinblakely
Damien Hirst – damienhirst
Dan Agam – danagam
Daniel Arsham – daniel_arsham
David Favrod – davidfavrod
Dor Guez– dorguez
Doug Aitken– dougaitkenworkshop
Dove Bradshaw – doveyd2000
Eddie Martinez – emart_inc
Elisabeth Condon – elisabethcondon
Enoc Perez – enocperez
Erik Parker – erikparkerstudio
Faile – faileart
Ferran Adria– ferranadria
Frank Benson – frankbensonstudio
Friedrich Kunath – friedrichkunath
Fulton Ryder – fulton_ryder
Gaia – gaiastreetart
Gary Baseman – garybaseman
Ghada Amer – ghadaamer
Hank Willis Thomas – hankwthomas
Hernan Bas – hernanbas
Inka Essenhigh – inkaessenhigh
JR – jr
Jayson Musson – jaysonmusson
Jeanette Hayes – jeanettehayes
Jeff Koons – Jeffkoonsofficial
Jeila Gueramian – jeilagueramian
Jen Stark – jenstark
Jeremy Kost – jeremykost
Jesper Just – jesperjust
Jessy Nite – jessynite
Jill Greenberg – jillmanipulator
Joe Andoe – joeandoe
Johannes VanDerBeek – johannesvdb
Jonas Bendiksen – jonasbendiksen
Jordan Wolfson – jordanmatthewwolfson
Jose Parla – joseparla
Josh Blackwell – joshblackwell
K8 Hardy – k8hardball
KAWS – kawsstudio
Kenny Scharf – kennyscharf
Kenya Robinson – kenya9
Korakrit Arunanondchai – kritbangkok
Kour Pour – kourpour
Kraggy – kraggy
Laura Buckley – ljbuckers
Laurie Simmons – lauriesimmons
Lawrence Gipe – lawrencegipe
Lyle Ashton Harris – lyleashtonharris
Margaret Lee – suede87
Marina Abramovic – hudsonmai
Mark Dion – markdionstudio
Maxi Cohen – maxicohen10013
Maya Hayuk – mayahayuk
Meghan Boody – meghanboody
Mickalene Thomas – mickalenethomas
Miya Ando – miyaando
Nathan Delinois – miaminate
Nicolas Lobo – nicolas_lobo
Nikki S. Lee – nikkislee
Olaf Breuning – obreuning
Olafur Eliasson – studioolafureliasson
Olek – oleknyc
Oliver Osborne – osbornoliver
Orly Genger – orlygenger
Oscar Murillo – labor57
Os Gemeos – osgemeos
Pamela Hanson – pamelahandsonstudio
Parker Ito – creamydreamy
Patrick McMullan – patrickmcmullan
Paul Octavious – pauloctavious
Renee Cox – reneecoxstudio
Retna – ironeyeretna
Richard Dupont – richarddupont
Richard Prince – richardprince4
Rivane Neueunschwander – rivaneneuenschwander
Robin Friend – robinfriendart
Roger Ballen – rogerballen
Romero Britto – romerobritto1
Ross Bleckner – rossbleckner
Rosson Crow – rossoncrow
Ross Simonini – rosssimonini
Ruben Ubiera – urbanruben
Ryan McGinness – mcginnessworks
Ryan McNamara – msryanmcnamara
Ryan Trecartin – ryantrecartin
Ry Rocklen – ryrocklen
Saber – saberawr
Samuel Borkson & Arturo Sandoval III – friendswithyou
Sanford Biggers– sanfordbiggers
Sarah Crowner – sarahcrowner
Scott Hove – scotthove
Scott Reeder – professoroops
Sean Dack– seandack
Sebastian Black – sebbazillion
Shinique Smith – shiniquesmith
Stefan Bruggemann – stefanbruggemann
Steve McCurry – stevemccurryphoto
Subi Roberto – theartistsubi
Takashi Murakami – takashipom
Ted Gahl – tedgahl
Theaster Gates – theastergates
Thomas Dozol – thomasdozol
Todd Eberle – toddeberle
Todd Hido – toddhido
Tom Burr – burrtomburr
Toyin Odutola – obia_thethird
Trisha Brown – trishabrowncompany
Typoe – typoe
Vik Muniz– vikmuniz
Walter Robinson – walter10065
Wangechi Mutu – mutustudio
Zaruhy Sangochian – zaruhy
Zoe Crosher – zoecrosher
*Incidentally, Artspace has an Instagram account too—follow us at: artspace
