When the mona lisa winks: How art galleries charm 25-35-year-olds on tiktok without losing their soul

Galleries, traditionally seen as temples of silence and contemplation, now face an existential dilemma. Should they surrender to the allure of virality, risking the reduction of masterpieces to mere consumable content? Or remain true to their educational mission, even if it means watching their audience dwindle? Between these two extremes, a third path is emerging: a reimagined cultural mediation where humor, interactivity, and transparency become tools for transmission.

01The paradox of algorithms: when art must please in three seconds

TikTok has upended the rules of cultural mediation. Where a traditional museum label offers a sober, academic description, the platform demands a "hook" in under three seconds. Galleries that thrive on this network have grasped one simple rule: the goal is no longer to explain a work, but to make it feel alive.

Take the @museeorsay account. In 2023, it launched a video series titled "POV: You’re a painting." One installment, dedicated to Courbet’s The Origin of the World, begins with these words: "POV: You’re a vagina painted in 1866, and you’re sick of awkward stares." The video, which has 1.2 million views, doesn’t just shock. It uses humor to desanctify a work often reduced to its provocative dimension, while still grounding it in its historical context. "We’re not trying to be funny for the sake of it," explains Clara, the museum’s community manager. "The goal is to create a spark, a gateway to deeper reflection."

This approach isn’t without risks. Some institutions have crossed the line by turning masterpieces into mere meme fodder. In 2022, the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris had to pull a video where a curator "fixed" a painting with tape after a backlash revealed a fundamental misunderstanding: on TikTok, self-deprecation only works if it remains respectful. "Art isn’t just another product," warns Jean-Max Colard, an art critic. "It carries a symbolic weight that can’t be reduced to a punchline."

02The new stars of art: when community managers become cultural mediators

Behind the TikTok accounts of galleries and museums are often young graduates in cultural mediation, trained in the codes of social media. Their mission? To translate the sometimes hermetic language of contemporary art into accessible content—without oversimplifying.

At Galerie Perrotin, a team of three manages the TikTok account. Their strategy rests on three pillars: education, interactivity, and immersion. "We don’t just want to show artworks," explains Léa, one of the community managers. "We want to tell stories." Among their most successful videos is a series on Takashi Murakami. Instead of simply presenting his colorful sculptures, the team chose to reveal the creative process, with time-lapse footage from the artist’s studio. The result: videos that have garnered hundreds of thousands of views, and an audience discovering the behind-the-scenes of art.

This "backstage" approach particularly resonates with 25-35-year-olds, a generation hungry for authenticity. "They don’t want institutional speeches anymore," observes Thomas Schlesser, an art historian. "They want to see the behind-the-scenes, understand how a work comes to life, who makes it possible." Galleries that embrace this transparency see their audiences grow exponentially. The account @mon.expo.com, which offers offbeat guided tours of Parisian exhibitions, gained 50,000 followers in six months.

03Art in the age of the vertical: when works must adapt to screens

TikTok enforces one format: 9:16, a vertical screen. For galleries, this means rethinking how artworks are presented. It’s impossible, for example, to show Van Gogh’s Starry Night in its entirety without cropping the edges. Community managers must choose: highlight the swirling sky or the sleeping village at the bottom?

This technical constraint has given rise to a new form of visual storytelling. At the Louvre, the social media team has developed a method: each video begins with a striking detail before zooming out to reveal the full work. "It’s a way to recreate the sense of surprise you feel when discovering a painting in person," explains Sophie, head of digital content. "We play with scale and framing to guide the viewer’s eye."

This approach has unexpected consequences for how art is perceived. TikTok’s algorithms favor bright colors, strong contrasts, and movement. As a result, some major works struggle to stand out. "Minimalist or conceptual pieces have a hard time finding their place on the platform," notes a Parisian gallerist. "Users scroll too fast to stop for a white canvas or an understated installation." Conversely, artists like Yayoi Kusama or JR, whose works are visually spectacular, see their popularity soar.

04Viral challenges: when the public becomes part of the art

One of TikTok’s most popular formats is the "challenge." Galleries have caught on and turned it into a mediation tool. In 2021, the Getty Museum launched the #GettyMuseumChallenge, inviting users to recreate famous paintings using everyday objects. Over 100,000 people participated, reaching an audience far beyond the museum’s walls.

Other institutions followed suit. The Tate Modern proposed a challenge around David Hockney’s works, asking users to paint their own version of A Bigger Splash. "These challenges create an emotional connection with the artworks," explains a mediation officer. "Participants don’t just look—they engage, reinterpret, and share."

But here, too, the line between participation and trivialization is thin. Some galleries have been criticized for turning major works into mere selfie backdrops. "The goal isn’t to turn art into entertainment," warns a curator at the Centre Pompidou. "It’s to use these tools to spark curiosity, not to satisfy it superficially."

05The delicate balance: educate without boring, entertain without betraying

The key to success on TikTok lies in this fragile equilibrium: how to capture attention without sacrificing depth? Galleries that succeed have found an answer: alternate formats. A humorous video about a Magritte painting can be followed by a more serious analysis from an art historian.

This is the strategy adopted by Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac. Its TikTok account alternates between lighthearted content—like a video of a gallery assistant struggling (and failing) to carry an Antony Gormley sculpture—and more in-depth formats, such as artist interviews or explanations of techniques. "We don’t want to be a meme account," explains the social media manager. "We want to show that contemporary art can be both accessible and demanding."

This hybrid approach is paying off. In 2023, the gallery saw its digital audience grow by 40%, with a significant increase in physical visits. "People come because they discovered our artists on TikTok, but they stay because they find a rewarding experience in the gallery," says a team member.

06Behind the viral: when algorithms dictate artistic choices

Every successful video is the result of a well-oiled strategy. Gallery community managers spend hours analyzing trends, testing formats, and adjusting content based on feedback. "We know, for example, that videos starting with a question get 30% more views," explains Clara from the Musée d’Orsay. "So we adapt our scripts accordingly."

But this race for engagement has its limits. Some galleries have been accused of "chasing likes" at the expense of their cultural mission. In 2022, the Fondation Louis Vuitton faced criticism for a video presenting a Basquiat work as "the most expensive painting in the world," without mentioning its historical or artistic context. "This is a dangerous reduction," argues an art critic. "Art can’t be boiled down to its price tag."

To avoid these pitfalls, some institutions are betting on transparency. The account @artbutmakeitfashion, which explores the links between art and fashion, shows the behind-the-scenes of its videos: the research, editing choices, and even mistakes. "We want our audience to understand that every piece of content is the result of mediation work," explains its creator. "It’s not magic—it’s craftsmanship."

07The future of art in the age of social media: between hybridization and resistance

As TikTok’s influence grows, art galleries find themselves at a crossroads. Should they fully embrace this new era, even if it means losing their identity? Or resist, at the risk of becoming invisible to younger generations?

The optimists see this digital revolution as a unique opportunity for democratization. "TikTok lets us reach audiences who would never set foot in a gallery," says a Parisian gallerist. "It’s a chance to show that art isn’t just for an elite."

Others are more cautious, warning against sacrificing what matters most. "A work of art isn’t defined by its viral potential," reminds Jean-Max Colard. "It carries a timeless dimension that transcends trends." For them, the solution may lie in smart hybridization: using social media as a gateway, without ever forgetting that the ultimate artistic experience is the physical encounter with the work.

One thing is certain: art will never be the same. And perhaps that’s a good thing. After all, as Marcel Duchamp once said, "It’s the viewer who makes the work." Today, that viewer has a screen in their pocket and is more connected than ever. It’s up to galleries to figure out how to speak to them.