Katarzyna Petru
Samsung is developing its concept of a television that transforms into a digital frame when switched off — and it is doing so consistently. The Frame, the most popular of such models, has just gained additional sets of digitised works of art, and the available database in the Art Store has now exceeded 4000 works from over 800 artists.
Television that pretends to be art — and does it increasingly better
The Frame is still a fully-fledged television, but its main advantage is the Art Mode and the matte screen coating that mimics the texture of paper or canvas. Competitors are already following suit — TCL Nxtvision and Hisense Canvas TV — however, matte displays have their drawbacks: poorer contrast, black levels and colour saturation in films.
Collaborations with Top Institutions
For years, Samsung has been developing the Art Store, a library of digital works available via subscription (5 USD/5 EUR per month). The company collaborates with the largest museums and cultural institutions — from the Louvre to MoMA — and this year the Art Store has also been made available on standard Samsung models, albeit in a limited version and without the full functionality of The Frame.
New Collections: Liberty, Tate and Art Basel
Liberty — August Supplement - This summer, 20 new designs from the British brand Liberty were added — from the fairy-tale motifs Enchanted Wood to the vibrant Jungle Trip. Among the new arrivals are Artemis, Marina’s Tea Garden, Fantasy Land, and My Grown Up Star.
Tate Collection — Classics and Icons - In October, the Art Store saw the addition of 15 works from Tate, including:
Whaam! — Roy Lichtenstein
The Snail — Henri Matisse
Yellow Islands — Jackson Pollock
Echo Lake and Ski Jacket — Peter Doig
Art Basel Miami Beach 2025 — Contemporary Art in Digital Form - This week, works by as many as 24 contemporary creators associated with this year's edition of Art Basel are joining. Among them:
Energía de la visión de Ayahuasca (2022) — Olinda Silvano
Victoria Park (2025) — The Pérez Bros
Apenas Cinco Semanas Da Kissama… (2019) — George Nelson Preston
40 Hearts (2018) — Jennifer Rubell
Luna Ilena (2024) — Aycoobo
4 thousand works and counting
Samsung boasts that the Art Store has grown to over 4000 items. Among the partners are the most important museums in the world: Louvre, Art Institute of Chicago, MoMA, Thyssen-Bornemisza, and many others. The Frame remains not only a television but also one of the most interesting ways to bring art into the home — without the need to collect physical works.
