Throughout my ongoing journey as the NFT Granny, navigating the exciting intersection of art and technology, I’ve experimented with numerous digital screens to showcase art in my Pop-Up Galleries. However, I’ve settled on a favorite, which I’m eager to share with you now. That is Samsung’s The Frame, a captivating amalgamation of technology and artistry. This device is far more than just a Smart TV, transforming into a compelling canvas that unlocks novel ways for displaying and experiencing art.
From day one, I have integrated The Frame into my pop-up galleries across the globe, including St. Moritz, Zurich, Art Basel, London, and most recently, my exhibition “The Blockchain Gallery” in Austin, Texas. On one event, I even cheated on The Frame, but I will tell you later, as I quickly realized it was a stupid decision. So, what is it about The Frame that keeps me coming back? Let’s delve deeper into my experience.
Picture Credit: samsung.com
Samsung The Frame Through My Eyes
Samsung’s The Frame isn’t just another television to me; it’s a pioneering device that comfortably straddles the dynamic spheres of technology and art. What sets it apart is the unique Art Mode.
I’ll tell you a little secret: I’m not a fan of reading instructions too much. With my first The Frame TV, I knew it had the art mode, but I didn’t use it at all, as I thought it was just another invention that no one really needs. I simply displayed the digital art piece in the normal TV function. But after a while, I decided to play around with the device, and Art Mode truly became the soul of The Frame for me. It’s a transformative feature that turns the TV screen into an eloquent digital showcase for art. And it doesn’t stop at a select few artworks either. The Frame houses an impressive digital library of over 1,400 pieces from a range of artists, along with the capability to display personal photos. In our Pop-Up Gallery, we enriched the Art Mode with the metadata of our curated show. And guess what? When the TV is turned off, the Art Mode remains on, leading to lower power consumption, improved picture quality, and a significantly more sustainable gallery experience.
How The Frame is changing the Art Gallery experience
The idea of a digital canvas that can alter its displayed art in a heartbeat is revolutionary. At my first Pop-Up Gallery in Zurich, I witnessed this dynamism in action. It felt like stepping into a futuristic version of an art gallery, where exhibitions could morph in an instant, creating an interactive, dynamic space. Due to this flexibility, I decided to display five different curated shows within 10 days. It was VERY intense but a great experience. Visitors had a big incentive to come over every other day, as the show changed, whereas the room itself stayed the same.
Moreover, the superior resolution of The Frame ensures that every artwork is displayed in intricate detail. It felt as if I could discern every stroke, every pixel, in stunning clarity. This, to me, is a remarkable feature. I compared the colors and details of The Frame with laptops of friends and mine, as well as different mobile devices. The digital art piece was not even as powerful on any other device. The Frame truly rocks the colors and details.
The Frame: Simplicity and Functionality
One aspect of The Frame that truly impresses me is its user-friendly nature. The installation process is as simple as hanging a picture frame, thanks to Samsung’s No Gap Wall-Mount. This ingenious feature, coupled with the Invisible Connection, efficiently eliminates any worry about unsightly, tangled cords spoiling the aesthetics. As someone who considers herself to be a moderately skilled handywoman, I found the task of affixing the Wall-Mount to the wall a surprisingly smooth operation. I was happy that Stephan helped me. Even if you opt for the Studio Stands, the setup remains remarkably straightforward. I must admit, though, I did encounter some challenges with the Automatic Studio Stand, which facilitates automatic adjustments of The Frame, vertically or horizontally, depending on the file being displayed.
Operating The Frame is just as simple. The transition from regular TV to Art Mode is seamless, whether you’re using the TV’s remote or a smartphone. As an art enthusiast, I find displaying the curated digital art on the display to be a delightfully uncomplicated process. However, I must admit that I have encountered some difficulties with the app control for the displays. It proved somewhat challenging to connect all the screens, particularly in my current exhibition in the heart of Zurich, where we have ten devices on display.
This presents another hurdle. Having ten devices means managing ten remote controls. A piece of advice here: make sure to stand as close as possible to the screen you’re attempting to control. The remote can get easily confused, occasionally sending signals to a completely different screen. This issue could potentially be resolved by using the app more efficiently. Given these challenges, I am considering giving the app another chance.
Lower Picture: First Pop-Up Gallery in an Urban Environment 2022
I realize that I have yet to share the story of when I, rather regrettably, cheated on The Frame for a brief moment. This incident occurred just before my first official Pop-Up Gallery. By then, I had already enjoyed the pleasure of working with The Frame for various tasks. But at one location, I was invited to curate a show with just three art screens, and I was told that screens were already provided. At that point, I thought: “A screen is a screen. What could possibly go wrong?” Now, I can only attribute this to my own naivety.
The true value of a user-friendly interface becomes strikingly clear when you find yourself grappling with a particularly unpleasant one. Trying to display the art pieces on these provided screens proved to be inexplicably challenging. Two of the pieces didn’t display at all. Despite these setbacks, we managed to work around the issues. It worked out in the end, albeit the solution was just adequate for a single evening.
That experience served as an important lesson for me. It made me reflect: “NFT Granny, you have lived many years, you should know better than to compromise on quality.” Why experiment with other products when I have already found my perfect match in The Frame?
Final Thoughts
In my view, Samsung’s The Frame isn’t just a piece of tech wizardry. It’s a transformative platform that can potentially redefine our relationship with art, bridging the gap between traditional and digital art worlds. The success of my exhibitions, where The Frame has been prominently featured, is a testament to this potential.
Art has always been an evolving entity, adapting to new mediums and styles. Now, it seems we are entering an era of digital canvases and screens, and from my experience, The Frame is leading this evolution, enriching the art world with its novel capabilities.
