Paolo Kernahan
THERE'S THIS romantic notion of the starving artist - that true art takes shape in the kiln of pain, sorrow and unremitting inner turmoil. American film director and visual artist David Lynch ladles scorn onto this ethos: 'Somehow the French got this idea of the starving artist. Very romantic; except for the starving artist.' Lynch points out that if you're starving or burdened with worry, it's impossible to create artistic work of any value.
This column isn't about art per se, but how the online world is revolutionising the economy of artistry. Social media platforms created a digital ecosystem enabling folks with artistic sensibilities to earn income from painting, writing, music, films and other forms of expression.
In the days of yore, creatives relied on duplicitous third parties or mercenary representation to generate revenue for their talents. The middleman hierarchies of the creatorscape locked many out of a system propelled by commoditisation. If your principal talent is creating the art, not moving it, then you will always be at the mercy of those who affix value to your work and find the market for it.
One of the reasons the ban on TikTok in the US triggered volcanic objections is because the platform creates a space for those who don't fit into conventional income-earning structures; the artistically inclined constitute a considerable number in that cohort. Social media clears a path directly to audiences who decide for themselves what artistic expression is valuable enough to spend money on.
This has dramatically transformed business models in the artistry world; the music industry is a perfect example. When I was young, music was a huge part of my life. There was, it seemed, only a finite amount of music I was exposed to - a limit to how much I could consume.
As I got older it dawned on me that I only heard a fraction of the music produced at that time; many talented songwriters and musicians either couldn't endure in a fiercely competitive industry or couldn't prevail in a system built exclusively as a rapacious marketing mechanism.
On platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, immensely talented musicians post content regularly, attracting massive audiences. DJs mix their own songs and market their singles on the platforms where they've built loyal followings. This arrangement is preferable to artists who consider Spotify a parasitic streaming platform begrudgingly paying royalties too far behind the decimal point.
Young people are setting up cameras in their homes and recording performances on guitars, violins, pianos and drum kits - I've even seen a video of someone 'playing' a theremin. The true power of the digital age springs from the agency it puts in the hands of the oftentimes disenfranchised.
Social media also paves the way to monetisation in different ways; there are brand sponsorships, collaborations with other established artists, music licensing, creator programmes, live performances, etc.
As with all ecosystems, the diversity of inha
