Samsung Surprises Art Crowd with Fake Monet

Samsung recently surprised museum visitors by exchanging a real Monet for a deceptively identical TV image in Austria. Among the art works exhibited at the Albertina in Vienna was Samsung’s The Frame TV which turns into a picture whilst in “Art Mode”. The surprising effect of how real masterpieces look on a TV can now be viewed on YouTube. As a result, the Albertina is the world’s first art museum to make masterpieces of its famous Batliner Collection of classical modernist paintings available from The Frame Art Store. Owners of The Frame can now enrich their homes with more than 40 works of art from this collection.

The Frame integrated seamlessly into the spatial ambience of the Albertina galleries by combining market leading picture quality with surprising design features never before seen on a TV. Visitors noticed nothing suspicious among the many works of art. The crowning glory for many museum visitors is the The Water Lily Pond by Monet. Or so they thought. Instead of the original masterpiece, it was revealed that it was in fact the unique display of The Frame in “Art Mode”. The Frame passed the test in the Albertina: the picture deemed incredibly real to visitors.

“The goal was to demonstrate as authentically as possible how realistic even famous masterpieces appear on The Frame. Thanks to many years of partnership, this experiment with the Albertina and the Monet from the Batliner Collection was truly and visibly impressive”, explains Sunghan Kim, President Samsung Electronics Austria GmbH.

More than 40 Works from the Albertina Collection will Enrich Personal Living Rooms

This event perfectly demonstrates how The Frame display transforms into a work of art when the TV is not in use. With the “Samsung Collection”, owners can choose from more than 100 exclusive works of art by renowned global artists that have been commissioned and hand-selected by Samsung. Now, in partnership with the Albertina Art Museum, a leading art museum in Austria, art lovers can begin or expand their personal collection exclusively with more than 40 works of art from the Batliner Collection on exhibit in the Albertina. “We are very proud to be the first art museum worldwide to be featured in the in the Art Store with our collection. Though the sensuous art experience in the museum is not replaceable, the impressive resolution of The Frame will enable you to recreate the Albertina atmosphere and enjoy masterpieces of the Batliner collection at home”, said Prof. Dr. Klaus Albrecht Schröder, Director General of the Albertina.

Art Creates Joy

The Frame, developed in collaboration with the renowned Swiss industrial designer Yves Béhar, is an innovative lifestyle TV that transforms from a television into a work of art when switched off. This revolutionary technology gives the television a new meaning and purpose, whether turned on or off. The Frame beautifies any living space, and is designed to live in harmony with the owners interior décor. Pushing the boundaries of traditional TV, The Frame provides users more than a place to enjoy their favorite entertainment programming – it’s also a statement piece within the home, similar to what you might find in an art gallery. The Frame, a CES 2017 ‘Best of Innovations Award’ recipient, was created with the modern TV user in mind. Addressing today’s constant movement between one screen to the next, Samsung created an innovative product that also serves as a functional part of everyday life.