Cultural Practices in the Digital Age: Changes in the Creation, Consumption and Art Perception

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to investigate the transformation of cultural practices in the digital age, in particular changes in the ways of creating, consuming, and perceiving art under the influence of digital technologies, social media and virtual environments, as well as to outline new forms of interaction between the artist, the work, and the audience. The research methodology is based on an interdisciplinary approach that combines cultural, art history, and communication analysis, as well as elements of content analysis of scientific publications, comparative analytical, and systemic methods. This allows for a comprehensive consideration of the impact of digitalisation on artistic processes, ways of presenting art and new models of cultural practices in the global digital environment. The scientific novelty lies in the comprehensive understanding of cultural practices in the context of the digital age with an emphasis on the relationship between digital tools for creating works of art, new formats for their distribution (virtual platforms, NFT, social networks) and changes in the perception of artistic experience. Conclusions. Digitalisation makes cultural practices more accessible, interactive, and globalised, while changing the ways in which cultural values, including art, are created, consumed, transmitted, and perceived. First, the creation of artistic content is simplified, as digital tools allow anyone to create and distribute content; new forms of art are emerging; art practices are becoming accessible online. Second, new formats of art consumption are emerging, as access to artistic content becomes instant and global through online museums, streaming services, and podcasts; personalised recommendations, interactive formats, and online fan communities are condensing familiar search formats; traditional practices are integrated with digital platforms, in particular, taking place in virtual space. Third, the perception of art is transforming, as “contemplative” viewing in a museum or gallery is changing to digital “scrolling” consumption of art; a kind of microaesthetics of TikTok, AR / VR exhibitions, is emerging; the art market audience is becoming global and volatile; the value of a work is increasingly determined not by the uniqueness of the object, but by its virality; cultural influencers are emerging as a new type of intermediary between the artist and the market.