The Artist Residency That Never Was
Abstract Mag invited dozens of artists to participate in a summer residency in Georgia. Then its social media pages went dark.
In June 2026, Syd Sauer Wilson, a 25-year-old airbrush painter from Los Angeles, received an email that seemed like a dream opportunity: an all-expenses-paid artist residency hosted by Abstract Mag, a popular art-focused social media platform with over 1 million followers. The program promised to take place overseas in southern Georgia's mountainous regions during August, with 40 visual artists living in a historic chateau and exploring the country's culture.
Wilson, who had previously applied to the 2025 residency in Marseille for a $40 fee, was overjoyed upon receiving the confirmation email. They expressed their gratitude and shared the news with family and friends. However, the excitement quickly turned to disappointment as news spread across social media of numerous artists who had also received similar invitations to participate in Abstract Mag's Georgia residency. This raised concerns about the program's legitimacy among the art community.
In July, Abstract Mag announced on their Instagram pages that 40 artists had been accepted for the residency. However, artists soon discovered that the program's social media pages had gone dark, leaving them feeling ghosted and disillusioned.
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