5 Australian artists whose work will improve your Instagram feed
Instagram need not be an endless feed of artfully arranged avocado slices and laxative teas.
There's a corner of the social media platform, far from the lifestyle bloggers and stolen memes, where things are a little bit weirder and a little more beautiful. Call it art Instagram -- there are plenty of Australians whose work is worthy of a follow.
Here's a selection of five of the best to improve your feed.
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1. Scott Marsh
You may know graffiti artist Scott Marsh from such famous works as Kanye West kissing Kanye West, but his striking pieces can be seen around Sydney, as well as on Instagram. Follow Marsh if you like colourful, energetic portraits of pop culture figures with a side of politics.
2. Anthony Lister
The vivid colour in Anthony Lister's work belies its often menacing undertone. With a healthy profile overseas, his art has graced Hermes stores, as well as, notoriously, the streets of Brisbane.
In January, the artist was found guilty by a Brisbane court of one count of wilful damage by graffiti. After the case concluded, Lister handed the presiding magistrate a portrait he had painted of him, the Guardian reported. That cheeky attitude is just one reason why he's worth following.
3. Miranda Lorikeet
Sydney-based artist Miranda Lorikeet does impossible things with the mostly moribund program, Microsoft Paint.
Her dreamy pastel landscapes let you soak up, briefly, a world where women can cavort nude, the animals are friendly and the moon is always a shocking red. Did we mention she does all this with MS Paint?
4. Guy Maestri
Guy Maestri's artwork has been shown around the world, but a definite sense of Australia is always part of his palette. Recently, Maestri has been painting the remains of local animals to help him digest the country's conflicted relationship with the environment.
The works are included in a new show at Sydney's Olsen Irwin gallery. "Landscape painting is a tradition for Australian artists," Maestri wrote in the show's description. "For me the obligation imposed by that tradition is to observe and report and in doing so I aim to understand this sometimes foreign landscape for European eyes."
5. CJ Hendry
There's something about Australian artists and Kanye West. In 2014, CJ Hendry made headlines after she sold the rapper a drawing of his face on a $100 note.
Her black and white drawings are incredibly three dimensional and realistic, but are always rounded out with a definite sense of humour. Hendry often sets herself challenges, like drawing 50 foods in 50 days, or multiple versions of the Chanel No. 5 perfume bottle, so you can be sure her feed is aways surprising.
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Topics Instagram
Ariel Bogle was an associate editor with Mashable in Australia covering technology. Previously, Ariel was associate editor at Future Tense in Washington DC, an editorial initiative between Slate and New America.
