Moving Still Media

I’m curious if future generations of top commercial artists will no longer have their careers made by select few top-tier art buyers and editors, but rather will form their own vast fan bases from which they will derive power.

To date a small number of representatives from a relatively few influential organizations (ad agencies representing corporate clients, leading magazines, Hollywood studios, and the top art galleries and museums) chose which artists become celebrated and provided with the opportunity to sustain a career and create the most prominent artwork we see around us.

Most of these stars are completely hidden from view.  Even the most public artists selected through this process only do a small appearance occasionally, release books periodically, perhaps do a guarded magazine interview, but are generally mysterious figures we catch few if any authentic glimpses of.  We mainly just see their finished work, fully polished.

I’m wondering if this kind of elusive “person of mystery” shtick will be possible going forward.  Can the next generation of creative stars stay off the active communication radar except for the most controlled, periodic releases, while so many talented competitors are amassing vast fan bases through active information streams enabled by social media technology?  Or will being a part of the masses, all racing to build their social media status, come off as a bit too eager while the cool aloof ones are perceived as confident and above it?

I somehow doubt the latter.  Talent and charisma and strategic thinking are already leading to stars emerging on a large scale in the commercial art field, with internet celebrity status being achieved by people like illustrator Hugh Macleod or photographers/filmmakers Vincent Laforet, Chase Jarvis, and Philip Bloom.  And I think the substantial numbers of followers of their streams are still small next to what we will see a few years from now.

Regardless, the advertising, magazine, and gallery clients will still be key to a financially successful career and high profile gigs.  But it’s not hard to envision the top-tier buyers being drawn to the creative stars with big fan bases – first because using an artist with a massive following means their work with the artist gets a lot of free bonus promotional mileage through the fan base, and second because they (like everyone) look toward outward reference points on what is “good”.  Rare is the person, at any level in the industry, who relies entirely on her or his own judgment.  Most of even the top buyers need some kind of external validation before risking their credibility on an artist. This makes it harder to break in, and becomes a self-perpetuating benefit once in.  A massive, authentic fan base may serve this role in the future, as well as creating numerous other revenue streams.

Perhaps more than one path toward being an elite creative professional will emerge, but if I had to bet on one of them I would make an effort to establish active connections with people. Build your tribe.