Instagram as site of memory

Instagram influences our perception and manipulates what we buy, think, and engage with. This has contributed to the digitalization of art and a shift in the shaping of our collective perceptions of the past. Previous research has indicated that artists and cultural memory are intertwined. Likewise, it demonstrated that social media and cultural memory are connected. However, literature on cultural memory theory has rarely been developed in context of academic research of the combination of artists and social media. This thesis will use qualitative research methods and the theories of Halbwachs’ collective memory, Warburg’s social memory and Nora’s sites of memory in addition to other expert’s analysis to investigate how contemporary artists’ use of Instagram affects the theory of cultural memory. The combination of this research illuminates that artists and their fans are in the unique position to create a visible anchor of memory by shaping or viewing Instagram as a carefully...Show moreInstagram influences our perception and manipulates what we buy, think, and engage with. This has contributed to the digitalization of art and a shift in the shaping of our collective perceptions of the past. Previous research has indicated that artists and cultural memory are intertwined. Likewise, it demonstrated that social media and cultural memory are connected. However, literature on cultural memory theory has rarely been developed in context of academic research of the combination of artists and social media. This thesis will use qualitative research methods and the theories of Halbwachs’ collective memory, Warburg’s social memory and Nora’s sites of memory in addition to other expert’s analysis to investigate how contemporary artists’ use of Instagram affects the theory of cultural memory. The combination of this research illuminates that artists and their fans are in the unique position to create a visible anchor of memory by shaping or viewing Instagram as a carefully curated exhibition site. This thesis’ purpose is to add value to memory studies, social media research and art history literature streams by taking insights from cultural memory research and applying it to social media research.Show less

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Instagram as site of memory