Short videos of Great Artists on the Douyin platform: Content Analysis and Value

Abstract

Modern Chinese artists differ significantly in terms of their dissemination power. Some famous artists' short videos can receive hundreds of millions of likes, while others can only get sporadic likes. Xu Beihong, a Chinese modern painter and art educator, played a pivotal role in the history of contemporary Chinese art. The study aim is to explore the common value characteristics of great artists' short videos and fill the research gap by analysing the content, subject matter, and presentation forms related to the artist. Based on the theory of art economics, the study takes the top 100 liked short videos of Xu Beihong on the Douyin platform as the research object. First, the accounts that posted these short videos were analysed. Second, content analysis is used to categorise the content of these short videos. Finally, the value behind the data was assessed. Research has found that many short video accounts featuring artists include commercial windows, and many of these short video contents involve commercial aspects. Favourable evaluations of artists are often associated with higher commercial value of the artworks. The results indicate that audience participation and interaction with artworks offer considerable value on short video platforms. Artworks presented through these new channels provide aesthetic and experiential value. The commercialisation of these artworks represents the value derived from audience behaviour and engagement.