Internet as a Tool for Artist Self-Promotion: The Cases of Federico Clapis and Jago

The article examines the dual-edged nature of internet democratization for contemporary artists, focusing on two Italian cases: Federico Clapis (aka Dr. Clapis) and Jacopo Cardillo (Jago). Clapis, a former YouTube content creator known for candid cameras and music videos, announced his retirement from online entertainment in 2015 to dedicate himself to art, but his subsequent output—pseudo-philosophical monologues touching on quantum physics and veganism—is seen as a marketing ploy. His video "Due anni dopo l'addio" (November 2017) recaps his art world successes while inviting followers to Instagram, supported by web personalities Marco Montemagno, Fabio Rovazzi, and Martina Dell'Ombra. In contrast, Jago, a skilled stone sculptor from Frosinone, gained internet fame after a Fanpage.it documentary, but his constant self-promotion via selfie videos with melancholic music risks undermining his artistic credibility. The author argues that true artists let their work speak, not marketing.