We all know that Twitter is home to a variety of different communities, most of which engage in a discourse on all topics. For example, there’s the well-known “stan Twitter” which includes users who enjoy things like K-Pop, or who are fans of certain shows, movies, and celebrities. Basically, no matter what interests you have, it’s fairly likely that you’ll find a Twitter community of people who enjoy the same things you do! One of the biggest and most diverse communities is “Art Twitter”, which is full of creatives of all sorts who share/sell their art and connect with other creatives to support each other. The people of art Twitter, just like any other community, entertain a lot of discourse, often on the topic of the arts and media. While art is subjective, that doesn't stop us from debating certain topics or expressing opinions we find to be true or right over others, and it certainly doesn’t stop people on art Twitter.
Thus, I went ahead and searched through art Twitter and collected some (perhaps) controversial tweets on the arts and the creative process. Art is all about embracing differences, so I thought I’d share just a few of these “controversial” tweets and expand on them a little bit. Hopefully, they help all of us think outside the box and broaden our artistic horizons!
Our first tweet by user @/zendayurs on Twitter tells her unpopular opinion by saying that no one is qualified to say what “true cinema” is, no matter what your specs are. The prevailing thought in art expression is that art is subjective, but we do have festivals like the Sundance Film Festival, the Cannes International Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, and many others that only a select few films can enter based on certain criteria. In many ways, this tweet rings true but one question does stem from this debate: How do we appreciate those films and pieces of cinema that truly are works of art? If there’s “room for everyone” like @/zendayurs says, then how do we recognize those filmmakers who deserve to be recognized above others? It’s definitely something to ponder on!
The second tweet brings to the table something that a lot of artists contemplate. Questions like “What kind of story should this piece have?” or “How can I make this connect with what I’ve made before?” can overtake an artist’s mind so completely that they forget that their art can be just that, art! User @/KrattStudio reassures creators that they don’t always have to have a grand picture or narrative in mind when making their art, as long as they enjoy doing it! To avoid getting lost in some elaborate world, this user suggests that artists tell their audience about why they create and what they’re passionate about to keep them engaged!
In our final tweet, we see a very honest opinion about what it’s like for upcoming artists on social media. As a new artist, it can be discouraging to not receive any feedback or compliments on works of art that they probably hours, or even days, to create. @/Chaikagore says in this tweet, “...sometimes artists feel like they’re not good enough because of how underwhelming like and numbers means on one art post” and calls it “depressing.” While anyone who creates art doesn’t necessarily do it for attention or money, those likes and comments really make such a difference in an artist’s confidence in their abilities. Artists create because they love doing it, but they choose to share their art with others because they want to connect with others on a deeper level.
So, none of those tweets were particularly controversial, but they did raise some interesting questions about the art industry and how we view artists. Art in all of its subjectivity allows for inquiry and as creatives, it’s our job to keep asking the questions that others wouldn’t dare to ask. If you have any hot art takes of your own or if you want to expand on some of the opinions I talked about in this article, comment and engage with us! We’d love to hear what you have to say!
*Disclaimer: NBTA has no particular inclination toward any of these opinions; it is just to show the diversity of opinions in the art community and to invoke fun conversations about the arts!
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