Artwork courtesy of Loupe
Rachel White discovered Loupe—an art streaming service—at a party in 2015. She was working toward a marketing degree at the University of Georgia and liked the app so much that she applied for an internship with the Atlanta-based company. Today, as chief experience officer, she sees it as a platform that allows beauty for beauty’s sake.
Loupe features work from more than 200 living artists. Users can stream channels curated by theme, color, or artist, and, if they come across something they like, can order original works and prints with just a click.
“There are all of these screens out there and ads coming at you, but they don’t necessarily enhance ambience or decor in a space,” says White. “We have a solution that allows art to be in conversation with technology.”
Artwork courtesy of Loupe
Artwork courtesy of Loupe
Artwork courtesy of Loupe
Artwork courtesy of Loupe
CEO and founder Dot Bustelo, who formerly worked at Apple, launched Loupe to complement the experience of music streaming. Though streaming has become ubiquitous for performing arts, it largely has been overlooked as a way to discover visual art.
“I want Loupe Art to be for visual art what Spotify is to music,” says Bustelo. “Instead of trying to scramble for followers who will view their work on a cell phone, [artists] can have their art displayed on a 65-inch, 4K screen anywhere in the world.”
Artwork courtesy of Loupe
Artwork courtesy of Loupe
Artwork courtesy of Loupe
Artwork courtesy of Loupe
Loupe can’t replace the experience of going to a museum or gallery, “in the same way that streaming music doesn’t replace going to see your favorite band in concert,” Bustelo says. Instead, “it’s designed to bring energy, tranquility, and creativity to you while you’re doing a variety of things in your home, similar to having music running in the background.”
Find Loupe streaming at the AC and Moxy hotels in Midtown, or visit loupeart.com for the Savannah College of Art & Design channel, featuring student and alumni art.
This article appears in our August 2020 issue.
