Based on the partnership with Saatchi Art, Samsung introduced ‘The Frame X Saatchi Art’ gallery at the London Design Festival in 2017

Samsung Newsroom spoke to Sarah Meller, Senior Director of Brand and Marketing Strategy at Saatchi Art, about the partnership and the network’s perspective on digital art and the Art Store, giving you a closer look into the relationship that takes the virtual art world to a new level.

Q: So, what made you decide to collaborate with the Art Store in the beginning?

We wanted to be at the forefront of using technology to bring the art world to people on a global scale. By partnering with The Frame, we felt that it would make art a more integral part of people’s lives, leading to a greater appreciation of it overall, which is such a good thing.

Q: What piece would you recommend to users to enjoy through The Frame’s Art Mode?

It’s difficult to pick just one. Saatchi Art’s chief curator, Rebecca Wilson, chose several art pieces for The Frame that stand as a testament to the TV’s versatility. They are as diverse and equally stunning as each other, and include everything from Claire Desjardin’s abstract paintings to Dean West’s fine art landscape photography.

If I had to choose a few, I would recommend:

• Dancer: Gama #0 by Cody Choi: The contemporary photographer and choreographer who is best known for his stunning, figurative portraits of dancers in motion. As a dancer himself, Cody can masterfully capture the dynamism and passion of his subjects.
  

• Boomerang House by Cécile Van Hanja: She is best known for her abstracted renditions of modern architectural spaces. Cécile’s paintings depicting homes and pools immediately transport guests to mid-century spaces.

• Winter Warm II by Sandy Dooley: She is an impressionist artist who spontaneously splatters paint with vibrant hues that characterize her harmonious landscapes, inspired by memories of growing up in the English countryside.

Q: How do you think the Art Store has evolved since you first partnered with Samsung? What are some of the improvements that stand out the most?

Since we partnered with the Art Store in 2017, its selection has grown tremendously, which has been very inspiring. It’s been wonderful to see iconic institutions like the Musée du Louvre join in and bring museum-quality art into the homes of viewers around the world.

Q: How has Saatchi Art evolved since you first partnered with Samsung?

At Saatchi Art, we support our artists as they explore emerging mediums and styles. We have been increasing our offerings in the digital art and NFT space. And we are thrilled because not only do NFTs offer real practical benefits to artists, but also give them a new medium in which to express their creativity. We are excited to evolve our mission into this space.

Q: How do you feel about technology changing the way in which people appreciate art?

Technology has provided us with many benefits when it comes to the arts. While real-life art experiences will never go away, nor should they, technological advances like the ones shown through the Art Store are transforming the way people access and consume art. Ultimately, these changes lead to more democratization, more diversity, more experimentation and more creativity.

Another benefit of The Frame is the lighting and the subsequent colors it creates. Lighting is so key when it comes to displaying art. The fact that The Frame can automatically adjust the screen’s brightness as lighting conditions change helps to maintain the natural colors of the artworks, ensuring a great viewing experience for consumers.

To see art from this partnership with Saatchi Art, head to the Art Store on The Frame.

The immersive experience represents the continuation of Samsung’s commitment to celebrating the ever-moving crossroads of art and technology, with the visionary mind of Michael Murphy. On Murphy’s spiral installation, that stood almost twelve feet tall in a darkened room, audiences were teleported to Gorgon City’s exclusive performance, while Cercle’s sweeping camera and cinematography flaunted the rich landscapes of the rocky Biokovo Natural Park on Croatia’s rocky southern coast – all through the all-encompassing lens of the QN900A Neo QLED state-of-the-art 8K Infinity Screens. As Gorgon City’s set unfolded on the striking and complex architectural glass walkway, Murphy’s trademark perceptual deception revealed itself to show the nearly bezel-less, Anti-glare screens, with all eleven working in unison, spiraled to manipulate the eye.

Michael Murphy said: “I’m so proud of this installation. To think this is the first time I’ve ever worked with moving images in my art, so the challenge of integrating them onto not just one, but eleven screens – well, it looks and feels amazing. Of course, Cercle’s unbelievable cinematography and the breath-taking picture quality of the Neo QLED made my job easier, not to mention the fact they’re Samsung’s slimmest ever screens, but I’m beyond excited the installation has helped me push my art to the next level. That’s why I’m so glad Samsung and I got to work together for this piece – we’re both pushing for viewers to see the world in a new light. I do it with mind-blowing perceptual tricks, Samsung with their mind-blowing screens.”

As Croatia’s vivid blues, oranges and greens swept across the true-to-life picture and the richest, nearly bezel-less color ever seen, audiences weren’t just transported to a set on the Adriatic coast, but thanks to Murphy’s transformational installation, to a different world entirely.

“At Samsung, we’ve always tried to push boundaries, and there is no greater boundary to cross than to experience a new and fresh perspective,” said Nathan Sheffield, Samsung’s Head of TV & Audio. “That’s why we wanted to work with Michael, because his work has always transcended the boundaries between art and perception. Cercle has done the same with music, cinema and culture. At Samsung we aim to show our customers how expressive, inspiring and colorful the world can be. With Michael, Cercle and the remarkable visual power of the super Neo QLED we’ve made a big step towards our goal.”

“Just wow,” said Cercle founder, Derek Barbolla. “We’ve filmed some beautiful scenes worldwide, and we knew the Skywalk video with Gorgon City would be no exception. However, none of the performances we’ve filmed have looked just so true-to-life on screen. Then, when combined with Michael Murphy’s perceptual artistry –it reaches a whole new level. It goes to show – when you entwine music, cinema, art and the world’s best TV, you can create something truly special.”

Matt Robson-Scott of Gorgon City said: “It’s been an honor to work with the Samsung and Cercle team. It was such an amazing experience shooting in a such an epic location and we feel like it suits the track perfectly. We were blown away by the way they work and hope everyone loves the video as much as we do”.

Samsung’s new, flagship QN900A Neo QLED television, like the immersive experience, delivers a mesmerizing viewing experience with true-to-life picture, rich color and anti-glare technology in the comfort of your home. For superpowered visual technology, only available with the Neo QLED 8K TV, you can truly experience new perspectives.

Relive the exclusive performance and Experience New Perspectives first-hand at https://www.samsung.com/uk/explore/experiences/new-perspectives-neo-qled/.

Samsung Electronics today opened exhibition spaces celebrating artistry and design at the London Design Festival, one of the top three worldwide design festivals. Based on the partnership with Saatchi Art, Samsung has created ‘The Frame X Saatchi Art’ gallery to utilize The Frame, the latest lifestyle TV designed for artists, galleries and consumers alike to share and experience art in new ways. Samsung will also host a pop-up store for visitors to see the inspiration behind The Frame.

The Frame is designed specifically to give more purpose and meaning to the TV. Reflecting an entirely new concept and category in television, it beautifully blends into any living space while providing added value and functionality for the home. When The Frame is powered on, it delivers the premium UHD picture quality consumers have come to expect from Samsung. When it’s powered off, it transforms into a work of art – offering a new proposition for the wall and for the home.

“The Frame is created to push the boundary of the conventional TV which we only use when they are powered on.” said Sunghee Han, Vice President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “Changed to a beautiful art pieces when it’s powered off, The Frame will also be a new standard for artists and galleries to share their work through The Frame’s innovative feature ‘Art Mode’, bringing art into the consumer’s lifestyle.”

At the London Design Festival, ‘The Frame X Saatchi Art’ gallery showcases prominent artwork from the online art gallery, Saatchi Art, which represents thousands of extraordinary artists from all over the world. Visitors will also have the chance to interact with The Frame and learn more about the Art Store at The Frame pop-up store. Through the Art Store, The Frame creates an ecosystem that provides an opportunity for artists or galleries to share their artwork on a platform that is professionally curated to meet the tastes of any consumer.

Through Samsung’s partnership with Saatchi Art and chief curator Rebecca Wilson, the brand will also host a series of presentations at the London Design Festival, including “Vision Telling,” focusing on the intersection of art and technology, and a “Talk with Artists,” including Colin McCallum and Anna Hymas, to discuss the inspiration behind their work for The Frame.

The Frame is now available in 43, 55 and 65-inch models, offering consumers more choice and flexibility to customize any living space. In addition to customized art pieces from the Art Store and the Samsung Collection, consumers can utilize the My Collection feature to import and display their own art images or pictures from their personal photo libraries directly onto the screen.

Celebrating the London Design Festival, Samsung will provide exclusive offers to all the consumers who purchase The Frame from September 20 to October 1 in the UK. Consumers will be given a six-month free subscription to the Art Store, a choice of two TV bezels or Studio Stand and six-month interest-free option. Visitors who purchase The Frame at the festival will also receive additional offers, such as free delivery and installation of The Frame as well as a custom The Frame eco-tote bag with free catalog and postcards of beautiful artwork.

Samsung’s The Frame gallery and pop-up store will be open at Old Truman Brewery, Unit 7 and 11, on Drays Walk from September 21 through 25. For more information on The Frame at the London Design Festival, please visit here.