Instagram and the art gallery: Aesthetic experience, space, and sharing

Abstract

Since 2010, Instagram has grown to become one of the world’s most popular social media applications. Its popularity has shaped and affected the practices of many industries and institutions. An institution notably influenced by the expansion of Instagram use is art galleries. For art galleries, it is an important device for community engagement, education, promotion, interaction, participation, and the enhancing of the visitor experience. For gallery visitors, Instagram offers a social photography tool that may align with their experience objectives. There is limited research about the use of Instagram by galleries. Knowledge of gallery visitor Instagram use and the role it plays in their experience is also limited. This research focuses on a study into the use of Instagram by visitors to the Gerhard Richter exhibition at the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art (14 October 2017 – 4 February 2018). To examine how visitors experienced art through the lens of Instagram, I drew upon interviews conducted with 17 visitors and four Gallery staff. In addition, ethnographic (visual)-grounded theory fieldwork was conducted during the exhibition. 550 exhibition images were observed through Instagram and analysed in a grounded theory framework, informing the research findings. In this thesis, I explain how and why Instagram is used by art galleries and their visitors. Also, the impact that Instagram practices has on visitors and the gallery is examined. This research project was informed by theories of aesthetic experience, sharing, and space. The research findings revealed that the use of Instagram at the gallery engaged visitors in a manner that transcended the physical space and extended/evolved their aesthetic experience. It highlighted contemporary ways to experience art using technology and new ways to think about art appreciation. Further, the research revealed how sharing, sociality, and the social pedagogy of the gallery are impacted by Instagram use. This is particularly evident in the ways galleries and their visitors used Instagram to promote, raise awareness, and influence others to the experience of art. Recommendations are offered on how the knowledge presented in this thesis may impact upon the future practices of art galleries. The findings are significant for visitors, art galleries, and arts educators seeking to critically understand Instagram use and the opportunities for engagement.