How TikTok's Most Followed Artist Is Upending the Art World

Early in his art career, Devon Rodriguez used to visit gallery openings in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood and imagine that one day his own work might hang on the walls. But the dream felt out of reach. “As I was chasing the gallery route, people would tell me, ‘The stuff that you’re doing is too traditional,’” he says. Galleries weren’t looking for the classically inspired portraits he was painting. Rodriguez had always been an outsider to the art establishment. “I grew up in poverty,” he says. “I didn’t go to these museums or galleries.”

So he decided to create his own path. In high school, he started making portraits of strangers on the subway, and eventually transferred to Manhattan’s High School of Art and Design. During the pandemic, he began posting TikToks of himself making the portraits and handing them to his subjects. His first post quickly accumulated more than 5 million views.

Rodriguez, 28, strives to paint people from all walks of life and break down stereotypes. “So many comments say, ‘Next time I see somebody that I’m afraid of just because of how they look, [I’m going to] give them a chance and be open,’” he says.

With over 33 million followers on TikTok, Rodriguez has been called “the world’s most followed artist.” He’s traveled to the White House to paint President Joe Biden, and he finally got that solo gallery show. He’s found commercial success working with brands like HBO and Ford, and launched a merch line and his own online art courses. But he remains committed to keeping his art accessible. “I’m just gonna be [making] art for the everyday person, like me,” he says.

Rodriguez hopes that his pathway can inspire young artists to think outside the mold when it comes to breaking into the art world. “There are no rules,” he says. “If you have a vision that you feel strongly about, just follow it.”

Write to Simmone Shah at simmone.shah@time.com.