The End of the Blockbuster: What AI Means for the Fine Arts

By Ivan Barnett, Serious Play

“Technology Has To Start Somewhere.”  Image by Ivan Barnett.

“No amount of skill-full invention can replace the essential element of imagination.”—Edward Hopper, American Painter.

AI is here to stay. Whether we embrace it or not, it will transform how the art world maneuvers from the artist to the gallery. Ignoring this reality risks leaving artists and institutions behind, just as the film industry learned the hard way when the “blockbuster era” ended.

Scott Galloway, in his essay The End of the Blockbuster, argued that Hollywood has reached a tipping point. Studios can no longer rely on mega-budget, single-bet productions to carry them forward. Instead, the industry is retooling for leaner, faster, AI-enabled production cycles. Movies are being conceived, tested, iterated, and distributed in ways unimaginable even a decade ago.

The parallel to the fine arts is striking. For decades, galleries and museums have relied on a handful of star artists or blockbuster exhibitions to carry financial weight. An Anselm Kiefer, a Yayoi Kusama infinity room, a Banksy stunt, these are the equivalents of Hollywood’s Titanic or Avatar. But just as in film, the economic ground is shifting under our feet.

AI as the New Studio Assistant

Let’s start in the studio. AI is becoming a collaborator for artists at every level. From generative imagery to material simulations, artists can now prototype entire bodies of work at a fraction of the cost and time. A public artist can visualize how steel and glass might refract light without cutting a single piece of metal. A painter can test fifty color harmonies before ever mixing pigment. A jewelry artist can model and produce dozens of bead-crochet sequences before committing to a single pattern.

This is not about replacing the maker. It’s about extending the reach of the maker’s imagination. Think of it as having a virtual studio assistant, one who never sleeps and is infinitely patient. The artists who harness these tools will iterate more broadly and enter conversations that others simply won’t reach.

“Money For Nothing and Your Tricks For Free.”  Image by Ivan Barnett

Curation in the Age of Algorithms

Galleries are also in the midst of transformation. Traditionally, curators relied on instinct, relationships, and reputation to decide which artists to exhibit and which works to push. Those instincts still matter, but AI is now capable of parsing data about collector behavior, museum acquisitions, social media patterns, and even search traffic.

Imagine being able to forecast, with real accuracy, which demographics are responding to sculptural ceramics in Santa Fe versus New York, or how pricing tiers affect buying decisions for mid-career painters. For a gallery, that’s not science fiction, it’s available today. The challenge is cultural: are we willing to integrate this data into our decision-making, or will we cling to “gut feel” while competitors gain the advantage?

Accessibility, Scale, and the New Distribution Models

AI also can reshape how art is shared, scaled, and sold. Virtual galleries and augmented-reality showrooms are already making it possible for collectors in Singapore to experience a Santa Fe exhibition in real time. AI translation tools mean that a Mexican artist can reach German collectors without a language barrier.

And then there’s scale. Just as streaming movies broke the stranglehold of movie theaters, digital twins and AI-augmented editions challenge the dominance of the singular physical object. This doesn’t mean originals lose their value. On the contrary, scarcity may become even more prized. But it does mean that new hybrid models, part digital, part material, authenticated through blockchain or other means, will proliferate. The art world must learn to treat these as opportunities rather than threats.

“There’s Always a Trade Off with Innovation.”  Image by Ivan Barnett

Rethinking Value in the AI Era

One of the most profound changes AI will bring is to our definition of value. In Hollywood, the “opening weekend” once defined success. Today, streaming metrics, audience engagement, and longevity matter just as much.

For the fine arts, we must ask: what defines value in a world where anyone can generate endless images? My belief is that value will shift more heavily toward narrative, provenance, human intentionality, and the handmade. A collector will not only ask, “What does this piece look like?” but, “What story does it tell? What decisions did the artist make?”

This is where history reassures us. The most profound and lasting art has always been created for the maker, not for the market. AI doesn’t change that truth; it simply reframes how makers work and how markets respond.  AI is not a new tool like the airbrush was or your digital camera.

Lessons from Film: Adapt or Fade

The lesson from Galloway’s blockbuster analogy is clear: clinging to old models is a losing game. Studios that dismissed streaming lost market share. Galleries and artists who dismiss AI risk the same fate.  Maybe not tomorrow or even next year, but it’s coming.

Think about how quickly expectations change. A collector who can experience a virtual show in Paris may begin to expect the same from a gallery in Santa Fe. An artist who uses AI to accelerate ideation will produce ten series while their peer is still sketching. Operationally, the pace is accelerating, and so are expectations.  It would be easy to become overwhelmed.  However, do not fear.  There is still only one of you and if you embrace AI as a new tool and use it with respect and care.

“There’s No ‘Going Back.’”  Image by Ivan Barnett.

A Call to Action for the Arts

So, what does this mean for artists, galleries, and institutions in New Mexico—and beyond?

1. Artists: Begin experimenting. Use AI as a sketchbook, a brainstorming partner, a way to test ideas at scale.
2. Galleries: Integrate data. Let AI help you understand collector behavior, market dynamics, and emerging trends.
3. Institutions: Consider accessibility. How can AI tools make your collections more visible, searchable, and engaging for global audiences?
4. Collectors: Ask new questions. What role did AI play in this work? How does that deepen, or complicate, the story?

Serious Play: AI for the Arts

At Serious Play, we believe in meeting these shifts head-on. Just as we’ve guided artists like Claire Kahn in adapting monumental public-art thinking into wearable art, we now guide artists and galleries in adapting to AI.

This isn’t about hype. It’s about sustainability, creativity, and financial stability.  AI will not take your place as an artist, but those who integrate it will leap ahead before you know it.

I wish I could say all of this is a “dream.”  It isn’t.  So be careful not to ignore “the reality” we are all facing.

We are ready to help you explore AI for the Arts:

• Workshops for artists ready to experiment with AI in their practice.
• Strategic consulting for galleries seeking to integrate AI into operations and marketing.
• Guidance for collectors on navigating authenticity and value in a hybrid world.

The wave is coming.

“Never bet against brilliant creatives.  They will do things and make things happen that can only be described as impossible.”  –Ivan Barnett

© 2025