20 art Instagram accounts every art lover should follow

Whether you’re planning to splash some cash at the Affordable Art Fair, or simply want to brush up on your cultural knowledge - Instagram is one of the best places to get to know contemporary art and its creators.

Not just the place to see coffee art and selfies, the medium has been adopted by some of the art world’s leading lights, as well as the world famous galleries that play host to them.

These are the accounts every art lover (or art bluffer) should be following.

Jerry Saltz

@jerrysaltz

Like your art with a pinch of cynicism? Senior art critic for New York magazine Jerry Saltz snaps some of the world’s most diverse artworks with puntastic and irreverent commentary that will have even the most austere of art commenters in stitches.

Musée du Louvre

@museelouvre

Not just the home of the Mona Lisa, The Louvre is one of the largest and most renowned cultural institutions in the world - and it has the collection to back it up. While its collections might be out of the price range of the average collector, its Instagram feed will certainly give you buyer’s envy.

The Museum of Modern Art

@themuseumofmodernart

Midtown’s famous art haunt is home to one of the most extensive modern art collections in the world. On its feed you’ll find works from artists as diverse as Picasso, Andy Warhol and Yoko Ono.

Artforum

@artforum

Artforum’s Instagram account is the essential ‘follow’ for any art lover. Its regular updates will keep you abreast of all the goings-on from this year’s Frieze if you can’t make it down to the fair yourself.

Babes at the Museum

@museumbabes

One for the boys, this account celebrates the culturally attuned and sartorially unsung beauties who stroll through the world's most exquisite museums. Yes, really.

Christie’s

@christiesinc

Want some break-the-bank artspiration? Follow the world’s largest auction house, which specializes in the sale of some of the world’s most important and rare works of fine art.

Artnet

@artnet

Artnet’s Instagram feed is loaded with contemporary artworks, cool art happenings… oh, and a celebrity spot or two.

Ai Weiwei

@aiww

If you haven’t caught his incredible exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts yet, Ai Weiwei’s instagram feed may persuade you to keep a weekend free over the coming months. Known for pushing the boundaries of censorship in China, the artist's profile lifts the lid on contemporary life in China, revealing his activism in promoting free speech.

D*Face

@dface_official

The English street artist D*Face, aka Dean Stockton, posts a portfolio that ranges from large scale street art pieces to small prints, taking his followers on a journey from the first stages right through to the completion of his individual works.

Hattie Stewart

@hattiestewart

The hottest name on the London art scene, illustrator Hattie Stewart has taken the fashion world by storm with her ‘doodle-bombed’ magazine covers. See more of her bug-eyed, psychedelic scribbles on her feed.

Gary Baseman

@garybasemen

On celebrated Californian fine artist and toy designer Gary Basemen’s feed you’ll find his eponymous quirky characters in all manner of surreal situations and settings.

White Cube

@whitecubeofficial

Fans of Jay Jopling’s white-walled gallery will be thrilled to know the famed walls of the South East London space can be followed on Instagram. Expect to see an original Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin and Marc Quinn or two...

Somerset House

@somersethouselondon

With a seasonal calendar of year-round large-scale contemporary exhibitions, Somerset House is a must-follow for Londoners with a keen eye on the local art scene.

The Tate

@tate

Not only does the Tate’s Instagram give you exclusive access to all the goings-on at Tate Britain and Tate Modern, it also cover’s the brand’s lesser-known Liverpool and St.Ives galleries.

Camberwell College of Arts

@camberwellual

Want to spot the next Hirst or Hockney before the make it big? Then you’ll want to follow the students of London’s Camberwell College of Art ahead of their graduate show.

Damien Hirst

@damienhirst

A life size platinum cast of a human skull, butterflies suspended in paint and a formaldehyde shark - Damien Hirst treats his followers to a ‘best of’ his work over the years on his feed, as well as an insight into new works.

Banksy

@banksy

The mysterious British street artist with an international reputation for making political statements through his art, surprisingly, uses Instagram just like you and me. Now, when will he post a selfie?

Frieze Art Fair

@friezeartfair

Frieze is one of the world’s leading contemporary art fairs - and it happens each year in our capital. If you can’t get tickets to the event, the organizer’s Instagram will keep you abreast of all the goings-on.

Snacks___

@snacks___

The purpose of snacks___ is simple: to showcase some of America’s emerging and established contemporary art scene. You’ll be scrolling through this one for hours.

Henry Hudson

@henryhudson_bk

Artist Henry Hudson uses Instagram as a digital canvas for his modelling clay creations. As well as his work - both finished and unfinished - there are (entirely ironic) selfies, home-made sculptures and visual insights into his many inspirations.