Lately, have you noticed that everything is starting to look the same? It seems we’re not alone in feeling this way. The creative landscape is becoming more saturated and homogenous than ever before. Stocksy has highlighted this trend in its latest Culture Report.
Called The Curation Paradox, the report examines the phenomenon of visual uniformity across global aesthetic systems despite the abundance of inspiration available. Following their successful 5 Key Themes report from last November, The Curation Paradox delves deeper into how we consume, process, and create visual content in an era dominated by algorithms. The findings are both disheartening and empowering for designers looking to set their work apart.
If you’re not familiar, Stocksy is an artist-owned stock media cooperative that focuses on culturally relevant, progressive visuals that raise industry standards. Their dual role as curator and creator gives them valuable insight into the trends shaping modern visual culture. This report is definitely worth a read, and we’ll summarize its key points in this article. (You can also download the full report here.)
The Era of Big Content
The report kicks off by highlighting the current „Age of Big Content,“ characterized by endless scrolling, algorithmic recommendations, and uninspired mood boards. This has led to a creative environment experiencing „Peak Complexity“ and the „Meh-ocene,“ where global aesthetics are blending into similarity.
According to the report, „Cafes in Tokyo and Mexico City look alike,“ and originality is lacking in creative industries, as evidenced by the absence of any original films in the top 15 highest-grossing movies of 2024.
Curation as an Art Form
Stocksy doesn’t just identify the problem; they offer a solution: viewing curation as a skill to be honed, rather than just a casual browsing habit. The report presents curation as „a martial art,“ requiring discipline, practice, and a balance between specialization and exploration.
„To master curation, you must embrace contradiction,“ the report suggests. „You need to specialize intensely, developing a refined sensibility, while also broadening your horizons to avoid falling into the same repetitive patterns as others.“
This interplay between convergence and divergence is key to Stocksy’s vision of the new creative imperative for designers looking to stand out in a crowded and uniform landscape.
Adding a Human Touch in a Digital World
One of the most intriguing aspects of the report is its exploration of the „semantic gap“—the inherent limitation of algorithmic systems in capturing the emotional and contextual aspects of visual experiences.
„AI struggles with subjectivity,“ the report points out.