The 15 Best Artists To Follow on Instagram

Superlatives for our favorite social media-savvy artists.

More so than any other social media platform, Instagram offers an unfiltered (well, not counting the filters) view into artists’ processes, studios, and influences. It also provides a peek at how they spend their down time, from the art they like to look at to the food they like to eat—and the types of animals with which they commune. We’ve picked 15 who are the best at what they do, from selfies to self-deprecating humor.

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Best Selfies: Ai Weiwei (@aiww)
No surprises here: The Chinese artist and activist has long been a self-proclaimed fan of the selfie, and his Instagram account does not disappoint.

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Best Cat Pics: Andrew Kuo (@earlboykins)
Though they’re technically not his cats, Kuo curates one of the most impressive collections of Internet-sourced felines we’ve ever come across. Occasionally, he even throws in a dog, rabbit, or bird for good measure. And they’re pretty much always hilarious.

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Best Dog Pics: Takashi Murakami (@takashipom)
While Murakami’s feed features plenty of his signature pop art creations, our favorite uploads are those of his adorable puppy, Pom.

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Best Photography: Paul Octavious (@pauloctavious)
Chicago-based photographer Paul Octavious shares his amazing eye for color and ability to find beauty in the everyday. If you’re looking for a break from the standard Insta’ fare, look no further.

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Best Graffiti Art: The Mirf (@themirf)
The Mirf is a portmanteau for Mint + Serf, two graffiti writers who come together to maintain an account (and lifestyle) every bit as cool, gritty, and photogenic as you’d expect.

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Most Adorable: Friends With You (@friendswithyou)
Miami-based artists Samuel Borkson and Arturo Sandoval III, known collectively as Friends With You, are masters of posting the cutest stuff you’ve ever seen. Somehow, everything they photograph has a face—a cuddly, adorable face. Even their name is cute! We dare you not to say “awwww.”

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Best Fashion/Art Mashups: Jeanette Hayes (@jeanettehayes)
We always knew that the New York-based artist had an eye for style, and her Instagram feed proves it. But decapitating the #WorldsMostTalkedAboutCouple with an Oscar Murillo chocolate wrapper? Now that’s just plain genius.

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Best Recurring Characters: Gary Baseman (@garybaseman)
Pop Surrealist, illustrator, and toy designer Gary Baseman’s brand is based on the adventures of several offbeat characters who continually show up in his Instagram photos, often in far-flung or precarious locations.

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Most Popular: KAWS (@kawsstudio)
We’d have to count, but we’re pretty sure that KAWS (aka Brian Donnelly), with his impressive 236,000+ followers, is the art world’s reigning Instagram champ.

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Weirdest: Rob Pruitt (@robpruitt5000)
Post-Pop artist Rob Pruitt isn’t afraid to post some weird stuff, and we love him for it. His “party animals” series, which features stuffed animals floating nebulously on a background of clouds is amazing in its randomness.

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Best Dressed: Olek (@oleknyc)
Crochet artist Olek leads a colorful life, and her zany ensembles are no exception. We love watching her large-scale works come together while she’s dressed to match.

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Best Words of Wisdom: Ryan McGinness (@mcginnessworks)
McGinness, who has been called the “Andy Warhol of the 21st Century,” serves up daily bon mots that will have you regramming every time.

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Best Travel Pics: Vik Muniz (@vikmuniz)
Globetrotting artist and photographer Vik Muniz has a talent for making us feel like we’re tagging along with him to destinations from Paris and Tel Aviv to his native Brazil.

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Best Car Porn: Richard Prince (@richardprince4)
Richard Prince’s Instagram is everything you would expect from Richard Prince’s Instagram: cars, nudes, and joke paintings.

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Most Honest: Dont Fret (@dontfretart)
The “vaguely anonymous” Chicago-based artist has your daily dose “amen to that” in the form of illustrated, captioned slices of life.


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