Instagram has long been a platform for artists. With the ability to reach millions of people, creatives can share all kinds of work from photography to graphic design to fine art.
Now, artists are using their Instagram accounts as an art piece in itself, usually focusing all their content around one niche idea. Here are three ongoing art projects you need to follow.
@SubwayHands
Hannah La Follette Ryan is a New York City-based photographer, capturing photos during her daily commute from Brooklyn into Manhattan. These intimate, anonymous moments have gathered tons of attention online, with her account gathering more than 100k followers.
By capturing the personalities of subway riders without showing their faces, Ryan has managed to give us a tiny glimpse into NYC life. This project started with just Ryan’s photography, but as it’s grown in popularity people from across the globe have begun submitting photos of subway hands from their cities.
@KirbyJenner
At first glance, Kirby Jenner is part of the elite. Posing for photos with Kendall Jenner and the Kardashians, one starts to wonder is this a Jenner brother I haven’t heard of? But, no. Kirby is a performance artist and Photoshop expert, placing himself into luxury photoshoots and fashion shows using the clout of the Kardashian/Jenner clan to grow his audience.
He integrates himself seamlessly and is able to fool the average person into thinking he was really on the red carpet that night. This ongoing art project has gained massive online attention since its inception in 2015. Now with 1.1 million followers including Kendall and Kylie themselves, he has a significantly larger online influence than the actual Kardashian brother, Rob.
@PeopleStanding
PeopleStanding is another very specific, curated Instagram account. However, instead of its content originating from one creator, all of the posts since the account’s inception are submitted from users around the world. See someone standing in a weird way? DM them a picture and you could be on the account!
This community-oriented work of art is light-hearted and humorous, and it brings users together through their shared photography of people standing really, really strangely.
On my personal social media accounts, I often feel pressured to post different kinds of content to appeal to a wider audience. However, these Instagrams are successful because they’re doing the exact opposite. They’re authentic and interesting with a narrow focus. A community has been built around all of these ongoing art projects, whether through submitting photos or just enjoying the works together.
Don’t be afraid to share your unique interests on social—you could build a community of your own!
