This is something that happened 5+ years ago, and maybe three years back. I reckon hashtags were bigger than right? Certainly seemed to work.
I could have been able to short-circuit that if I started now I suspect, but I was waay to young.
But unless you are in the business of growing profiles for other people, you shouldn't use instagram for trying to gain ever growing exposure as the dopamine is dangerous.
I don't have any solution for making that part of your visual arts display interest.
If you tried again, you should go back to private or even keep it public only as a portfolio to show people in person. Or to show an identity when you are communicating with a potential romantic partner over the messaging system.
And ultimately the right sort of content is what will count anyway. The best player in my industry/locale doesn't load up on hashtags now that he's on the right radars, he just makes great stuff.