Art In the Digital Age

“Zeitgeist: the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time.”

When the word zeitgeist is mentioned in reference to the world of contemporary art, ARTUNER is the first thing to come to mind. I have rarely witnessed a company define itself so effectively. It seems to be rewriting the canon of Art History. Many lessons can be drawn from how ARTUNER operates. As a university student, the platform has taught me the value of embracing technological change. From my perspective, it provides the opportunity to enhance oneself.

As smaller galleries continue to shut down at exponential rates, it is those within the art world, like the members of the ARTUN- ER team, who continue to find success by choosing to embrace change. When I started interning for AR- TUNER in London following my exchange, I knew that their unconventional business model was a game changer in terms of reinventing how we view, appreciate, and acquire art. This relatively small company is an online platform that intends to fulfill collectors’ needs and provide them access to exhibitions. Their online exhibits, artist interviews, and magazine insights provide collectors with the necessary tools for art acquisition. They also expose the internet, art lovers, and average readers to artists’ work. My experience working in AR- TUNER’s office completely altered my perspective on the importance of supporting contemporary artists. As the founder and owner of ARTUNER Eugenio de Rebaudengo explained, “What’s really rewarding is knowing that you are supporting what is, in a way, the next generation of art: encouraging artists to explore new terrain outside the traditional boundaries.” In his opinion, for a collection of art to be complete, it must exceed boundaries and make dents in shaping Art History. At the moment, it is often only museums who acquire these radical artists, but in ARTUNER’s vision, collectors will be able to collect revolutionary pieces at affordable prices.

Rebaudengo’s outlook demonstrates the significance of encouraging the artists of our time. What better way to do so than by exhibiting their work with modern tools? ARTUNER leverages their online platforms—their website, Instagram, and Facebook pages—reaching the contemporaries of the artists they represent. If not for ARTUNER, I would never have discovered the enticing stories of talented international artists Paul Kneale (Canadian), Ana Elisa Egreja (Brazilian), and Patrizio Di Massimo (Italian). Born in 1986 in Toronto, Paul Kneale is an artist who focuses on how the world translates into digital language. He explores how digital facets of our existence are manifested and reimagined tangibly. The way he uses technology to generate new forms of art is awe-inspiring. It is amazing to see a Canadian artist succeed in the European market. Born in 1983, Brazilian artist Ana Elisa Egreja’s practice consists of painting and architecture. She has constructed unexpected settings to subvert different surroundings. Her art incorporates a variety of mediums to create a unique outcome, echoing Brazilian Tropicália and resonating with magical realism. ARTUNER exposes Egreja’s distinctive artistic practices.

Patrizio Di Massimo was born in 1983 in Jesi, Italy. He is said to be a historiographer in terms of his art, as his early work analyzes the “politics of modernist European conflict and the failure of the continental utopia.” He heavily challenges the male gaze narrative by giving women agency, making them protagonists within his oeuvre. Di Massimo’s creations are unlike anything I’ve ever experienced–a fusion of the modern and historical, positively singular. ARTUNER’s business model supports these and other emerging artists and provides them with a vehicle to reach today’s collectors. With carefully curated online and live exhibits as well as events, ARTUNER’s reach results in increased worldwide exposure for artists. ARTUN- ER’s seamless combination of the digital with an ambitious programme of physical exhibitions is one that can teach us all to find a happy medium between the conventional and the avant-garde. ARTUNER’s unique, hybrid approach has, most importantly, taught me valuable lessons in embracing these changing times and supporting our contemporaries. Working with them was a unique and memorable experience that I will carry with me into my future, as we are inevitably presented with more technological and artistic changes.

By Lea Lotey-Goodman