For art to become part of your daily life, your daily life needs to become art first. At Samsung Electronics, Samsung Art Store managers bring this vision to live. Jiyea Kim, Jiwon Shin and Yeseo Choi all manage the planning and operation of the Samsung Art Store in Samsung’s Visual Display Business.

“Why must we have art daily in our daily lives?” To answer the question, Samsung Newsroom sat down with the Art Store managers to learn how artwork at home can refresh an ordinary day and transform our living spaces.

▲ (From left) Yeseo Choi, Jiwon Shin and Jiyea Kim from Samsung’s Visual Display Business’ New Service Business Development Group

Your Life, Centered on Art

The Samsung Art Store is an art subscription service that began in 2017 for The Frame, the company’s lifestyle TV. In partnership with more than 50 museums and galleries worldwide, the service provides more than 2,000 pieces of artwork, ranging from famous paintings to unique pieces from emerging artists. Through this service, users can access various works of art in 4K resolution from the comfort of their own homes.

Even today, consumers can find the traditional ways of viewing art to be unapproachable and inaccessible. However, even if art appreciation seems — at first glance — slightly out of reach, art has the power to benefit our daily lives. “Some people tend to believe that art is distant and difficult, but I believe anything that entertains our eyes and ears is considered art,” Jiyea Kim said. “When you feel exhausted and dull, you can get a boost of energy through art,” added Kim.

Refresh Your Living Space With Digital Art

One of the key features of the Art Store is that users can freely swap out their artwork according to the décor and mood of its surrounding space. There are a wide variety of options available in the Art Store, from renowned masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci to the photography by the LIFE Picture Collection, which captured historical moments of the 20th century.

“I personally use The Frame at home, and I can really see how it effectively changes my home interior,” said Kim. “It’s not easy to frequently change a room’s atmosphere, but with The Frame and the Art Store, I can easily change my space with different artworks — even for different seasons or special occasions like Christmas.”

Yeseo Choi suggested bringing out the space through a welcome painting. “Just like how we offer welcome food or drinks, when you have guests over, you can welcome them with their favorite piece of art on The Frame. It will not only give a new vibe to the space, but it will also present a special experience for guests,” she said.

Bringing Artwork to Your Living Room

The Art Store offers more than just artwork: it also provides a description for each piece and information on the artist. It even includes detailed information on the art museum where the piece is displayed. Thanks to such features, users can gain knowledge of the artwork while enjoying it.

“I saw the original artwork of Gustav Klimt at the Belvedere in Austria. I wanted to return to see it more often, but unfortunately could not,” said Choi. “However, I can now see it every day at home, as the works of Klimt have recently been added to the Art Store.”

“The Art Store vividly delivers each piece’s unique texture and characteristics,” said Choi. “So, even if the original artwork is displayed somewhere far away, you can always see the artwork as if you are looking at the original piece — whenever and wherever you are.”

Jiwon Shin was particularly interested in how children would benefit from the service. “With the Art Store, children can view various artworks that may lead to increased creativity,” Shin said. “Art might be difficult and unfamiliar even for adults. But if you start exposing yourself to art at a young age, you can be more familiar and have better perspectives towards it.”

Tips: Curating Art for Your Home

Looking for a painting or a drawing that fits your preference or reflects your mood? The Art Store comes with built-in recommendation features.

Users can utilize the For You feature to get comprehensive art recommendations that reflect all their preferences.

“The For You feature is a customized recommendation feature based on an algorithm,” said Choi. “For instance, if you enter keywords in the comprehensive search option that represent a certain color, such as ‘red’ or ‘green,’ or a certain mood, such as ‘modern’ or ‘light,’ then you’ll get the relevant artworks recommended for you. So, you can easily find artwork that reflects your mood or fits the space.”

An ongoing curation service is available as well. Through regular curation, the home screen of the Art Store shows recommended artworks suited to a particular subject or theme during a certain period of time.

“You can find previous curations from the Curation menu, so you can look up the subject that fits your preference and find relevant artworks anytime you want,” said Shin.

She also recommended the Favorites and Slide Show features. You can add any work of art to Favorites and set up the timing and duration of the Slide Show feature. According to the setting, the piece will automatically switch. Users can set the artwork to change as often as every 10 minutes or as slowly as once every week.

New Screen Experience Transcending Space and Time

The opening of the Art Store launched an era of users enjoying art anywhere, anytime. So, what’s the future of the Art Store? “Right now, this feature is only the Art ‘Store.’ So, we’re looking to expand the service from simply art discovery to different activities and experiences that users can enjoy in their space,” said Choi.

“Since this service is available for everyone regardless of their age or nationality, I hope more users will use this service,” Shin said. “We’re working hard to enhance the platform’s accessibility.”

“Until now, we’ve focused on promoting how users can access art through the service. But now, it’s become important to showcase the appeal of the service itself,” said Kim. “Our goal is to provide a service that brings happiness and satisfaction to the users as an art platform.”

Mulga is the embodiment of the cool “art dude” persona. The Sydney-based Australian artist is a freelance illustrator, published author and muralist, whose style is vibrant, intricate and just fun. With a career beginning in finance, he transitioned to making a living through art when he decided he wanted to do something he was truly passionate about.

Now, Mulga makes a living doing what he loves. His art is inspired by animals, summer and the ocean, which is brought to life through Samsung’s Art Store. Samsung Newsroom sat down with Mulga to hear more about his artistic process and how he sees digital transformation affecting the art world.

▲ Mulga

Q: Your work is described by others as intricate, vibrant and unique. In your own words, how would you describe your art style?

I’d say it has a lot of summer vibes and humor to it. It also has real Australian vibes. There are always the black lines and details with an element of fun that tie it all together. You could say that it is art that brings a smile to your face and makes you feel good.

Q: You’ve worked on a variety of projects — collaborations with big brands, murals, smaller original paintings and snowboards. What has been one of your recent favorites?

Last month, I painted a 100-meter-long mural on the beach at Port Macquarie, and that was an awesome one to do. I love the beach, summer and surfing; so, it was the perfect location. At one stage, the waves were washing up against the wall while I was painting, and I had to time it with the tides. This made it a bit more exciting.

Q: How did you start working with Samsung and the Art Store? What excites you the most about this partnership?

I’ve worked with Samsung on a bunch of different campaigns over the years, usually creating art using Samsung products. One time, I even created over 19 mobile phone wallpapers. Samsung is a great partner to work with because they have cool products and do a lot of collaborations with creatives.

I got involved with the Art Store when The Frame was first launched. Samsung licensed one of my gorilla artworks to display on the TVs and to use for printed ads. I painted live at the launch in Sydney and worked a big mural in Melbourne promoting The Frame.

Having my work in the Art Store means that people all around the world are discovering my art. Once someone has seen my piece in the Art Store, they are more likely to find my website, in search for the original painting that they have displayed on their TV. Also, there are royalties based on how long my art is on display on all the TVs around the world.

Q: Much of your work is done in a real, physical way — painting. How do you find your paintings translate to digital display on The Frame? Do you have plans to work with other mediums in the future?

It works great. I scan all my artworks into a high-resolution digital format for The Frame, and it looks close to a real-life painting. While I have no plans to change the way I paint, I would love to turn my paintings into 3D works of art — really big public ones — in the future.

Q: How has your own artwork evolved as technology advanced? Are there any notable changes to your work that were deeply impacted by innovations in technology?

With the rise in blockchain technology and the new thing of being able to ‘own’ digital art now via NFTs, digital art is really having its heyday. As an artist, it is a great thing. I’ve been creating digital art a lot more and particularly when working on my own NFT collection “MulgaKongz.” By creating art on a tablet, I can work anywhere — at the beach, on a boat or in a motor vehicle. It’s very convenient.

In terms of displaying the artwork, digital displays like The Frame provide colors that are super vibrant with all the details on full display. The colors can sometimes even be more vibrant than the real-life paintings so that they appear supercharged. A lot of the times when the artworks are displayed on The Frame, they are larger than the real-life version, and a lot of the details are more noticeable too, which can be more impactful than the real-life smaller versions.

Q: What three pieces of yours would you recommend for users to display on The Frame?

It really comes down to personal preference, but I can tell you that last month, my most popular artwork in the Art Store was the Clifford King of the Point. It’s a painting of a big, bearded dude, standing with his surfboard on my local beach, and he is surrounded by goofy looking seagulls. It’s summery, fun and colorful.

▲ Clifford King of the Point (2020)

The second most viewed artwork of mine last month was a colorful collage style artwork titled Under the Sea. It features coral, fish with moustaches, bearded pineapples and octopus tentacles. I originally drew this artwork for a chain of Poke Bowl restaurants in my hometown of Sydney.

▲ Under the Sea (2018)

Another one of my favorite artworks in the Art Store is titled Cactus Brothers. It’s a painting of two cactus characters wearing sombreros under a starry night sky. They are in the desert surrounded by cacti and palm trees, and an oasis style lake is in the background. It was an artwork, which I was commissioned to paint for a cactus-loving collector of my art.

▲ Cactus Brothers (2021)

To see more of Mulga’s artwork, head to the Samsung Art Store in The Frame.

Stuart Franklin is an award-winning photographer who has traveled all over the world in pursuit of his work. The titles Franklin has held over the years vary from photographer to documentarian and art curator, with his work landing on the pages of newspapers, books, magazines and other media in between.

Over the years, Franklin’s work has gained considerable momentum and visibility — his work has earned a place in renowned publications around the world. Now, his work is featured on Samsung Art Store, introducing even more variety to the ever-growing art collection that is accessible through The Frame.

Samsung Newsroom sat down with Franklin to talk about his work and how he sees digital transformation taking the art world into new, unimaginable spaces.

▲ Stuart Franklin

Q: Briefly tell us about yourself, your work and the inspiration behind your photography.

I am a Magnum photographer, and I have been working in the industry for over 40 years. I am inspired by many things: light, form, the subject itself, often the overall idea behind a larger project. But these days I also enjoy drawing and painting as well.

I am currently working on a book about trees. 25 years ago, I published a book called The Time of Trees (1999), and I am now revisiting the subject in preparation for a new book in 2023.

Q: You began studying photography in 1976 and have made quite an impact since then. How has your photography evolved over time?

After studying drawing and painting, then photography, I began a career working for newspapers and news magazines. My stories were always people stories: in the news, street photography and portraits. This began to change during the 1990s when I began to focus more on landscape work — I worked on magazines, books or exhibition commissions and an exhibition for the National Galleries of Scotland.

Q: You are known for your wide array of photography styles. Could you elaborate more on your creative process?

My work has evolved over time. In the past, I worked mostly in news features or breaking news. I haven’t given that up: I recently did work on the Covid-19 pandemic in the U.K. But more and more I am focusing on landscape photography. Currently, I am interested in the relationship between nature and memory, so the conversation surrounds the relationship between elements in the landscape that spark a memory and something objectively interesting in the landscape itself.

Q: What is your favorite setting or location to take pictures?

Right now, forests. I have recently been working in the largest walnut forest in the world in Kyrgyzstan.

Q: Can you tell us specifically how advancements in technology and the emergence of digital art and platforms have changed or shaped your career?

Unusually, my work has moved full circle from working on color transparency film and black and white negative to digital color in about 2004 and now back to 80% film. I use my Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra for about 90% of my digital color photography these days. Digital has many advantages, especially working in low light. But currently, I am working with film in black and white and digitally with the Galaxy S21 for color.

Backlighting and increased dynamic range are always an advantage with digital displays, but the disadvantage is often reduced image size. It is difficult to mix the two. Anything backlit in an exhibition will always stand out more than a silver gelatin print.

▲ “Caroline Islands (2000)”, Stuart Franklin

Q: Caroline Islands (2000) is one of your most popular photographs displayed on The Frame. Tell us briefly about this piece. Why do you think people are attracted to this image?

This landscape and these colors speak of somewhere remote, a get-away, an escape, somewhere quiet and undisturbed. In bustling urban life, all these qualities become desirable.

Q: A lot of your photography within the Art Store that gained popularity over the years involve nature. Can you tell us more about what your artistic intentions were for these photos?

I have always found solace in nature and in celebrating its beauty. The challenge is making inspiring places be as inspiring in a photograph. That usually involves choosing the right light and the best time of day to be out photographing so that the highlights are not too bright or the shadows too dark. Light — the quality of light — plays a huge role in how I think about photography.

▲ “Falls, Brazil (2000)”, Stuart Franklin

Q: Can you give us some background on this photo?

This photograph was taken in late 1999 on commission for the article titled Celebrations of Earth — published in January 2000 as the opening story of the new millennium. Due to the mist formed by the water thundering down the waterfall, the morning light stayed soft for quite a long time, which gave me enough chances to make several exposures from different vantage points. Also, Polaroid films that fit my camera were easy to buy back then to help me out in trials before making the actual exposures.

Q: Where do you see the future of photography art exhibitions heading? What are your thoughts about what’s to come?

I think there will always be an attraction in seeing the print as a three-dimensional object, as one sees a painting. However, I suspect in the future that the three dimensionality that we are used to experiencing in a gallery will be deliverable digitally and become widespread in time. The digital experience will expand in ways that we can barely imagine. There will be more virtual galleries and exhibitions. I feel sure of that, and that will make art more accessible to a wider range of people.

Q: Aside from the two photographs listed above, do you have any other recommended pieces for The Frame users?

I will always be one to flag my most recent work, so perhaps the work this year from Spain, Italy or Kyrgyzstan or the work I am about to do in November in Cambodia and Bali. But then I recommend the images from Bali that I took in 1999 for the Celebrations of Earth project — I still love those beautiful green rice fields. Then there is the work from Korea. Too much to choose from.

▲ “Rice Fields, Indonesia (2000)”, Stuart Franklin

To see more of Franklin’s photographs, head to the Samsung Art Store.

Palani Mohan is an award-winning photographer who holds the view that if you slow down and look around you, you will find “small, beautiful miracles that take place all the time.”

Samsung Newsroom spoke with Mohan about his experience as a photographer and his collaboration with Samsung on The Frame.

Life Through a Camera Lens

▲ Photographer Palani Mohan, Katie Barget for TEDxSydney | CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Mohan photographs a variety of subjects, from his famous pictures of eagles on the outskirts of Mongolia, to the various shades of Hong Kong, and just about everything else in between.

Many of Mohan’s projects have led him to travel around the world, visit new places and meet new people. Before the pandemic, Mohan spent as much as six months out of the year on the road for work. Now, however, he spends a lot more time staying in one place.

▲ Man and Eagle over tall grass (2013)

Mohan says he hopes that, when people look at one of his photographs, they get the same feelings of awe as if they were standing right beside him when he took it.

“Most, if not all, of the time when I’m taking my photographs, I am alone, especially when I’m doing landscape work,” he comments. “So when people look at my images on the screen, or in a magazine or print, I would like them to feel like they’re standing where I stood and seeing what I saw when I made that image. If they can do that, I’ll be very happy because my job will be done.”

On The Frame, viewers can experience Mohan’s stunning work in premium, QLED picture quality that brings photos to life. When viewing his work on The Frame, Mohan says, “I hope [viewers] see what I see. I hope they look at my work and see what a magical place this world is.”

▲ Hong Kong through the clouds (2016)

Technology Shines a Light on Detail

An interesting aspect of Mohan’s work is that a large portion of it is black and white. Whereas other photographers may focus on the colors in a scene, Mohan often removes the color to let viewers focus on other aspects of the subject.

▲ Water Dragon (2019)

Art and technology have already been intersecting for some time, with technology being used as a medium for both creating and viewing artworks. And innovations such as The Frame are bringing the two even closer together, making pieces more accessible and opening a world of new possibilities for producing and showcasing art. And this is especially true for artists like Mohan who value attention to detail very highly.

▲ Golden Eagle (2013)

“The Frame gives viewers the chance to look at a piece of art as the artist wants them to view it,” Mohan says. “It feels so real, viewing images on The Frame. It changes the interaction you have with the artworks you look at. You see all the details and tones – you can walk up and see the work as the artist really intended.”

It is the quantum dot technology in The Frame that gives it its spectacularly vivid display, and that delivers the finer detail that illuminates texture and contrast. “Attention to the minute details is very important to me. I place huge importance on the quality of my work, the tones reflected and how the visual image is presented. This is a huge part of what I do,” Mohan relates. “I go to extraordinary lengths as far as the quality of the final image, and I believe Samsung and The Frame do exactly that too. The screen resolution on The Frame is out of this world – simply unbelievable. And I think it’s a wonderful marriage when you have an artist who also puts quality above everything else. When the two meet, the result is magic.”

Palani Mohan’s work is available in the Art Store on The Frame now, and 14 new pieces will be available from late November.

“The Frame is not just a device for watching TV, but a lifestyle product which enhances a space with its design and enriches consumers’ lives with an extensive art collection,” said Simon Sung, Executive Vice President and Head of the Sales & Marketing Team of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “We continue to look for ways to strengthen The Frame’s offerings to find innovative ways to satisfy consumers’ evolving needs and desires. We are also always exploring partnerships with new museums, galleries and artists to offer a much wider range of collection in the Art Store.”

Innovative Design Marries Form and Function

The Frame is the most popular model among Samsung’s Lifestyle TV lineup. Since it was first released in 2017, The Frame’s design, features and size have continuously evolved, reflecting consumers’ ever-changing tastes and lifestyle needs.

As consumers have been spending more time at home, the popularity of home entertainment content has risen, along with consumer demand for their screens to go beyond a home appliance and enhance their interior design. The Frame perfectly converged these trends to offer consumers a blend of form and function, leading to rising sales for the lineup.

Innovating picture quality and keeping up with consumer trends drive Samsung to continually enhance each new iteration of The Frame. In 2020, Samsung added QLED picture technology to deliver more vibrant images. The TV also incorporates a brightness sensor to adjust the brightness level depending on the surroundings, so that viewers can fully enjoy optimized pictures and videos. In July 2021, Samsung launched an 85” version, so it is now available in five different sizes (32″, 55″, 65″, 75″, 85″) to satisfy a variety of lifestyles and home spaces.

The Frame in 2021 offers a slim bezel of 24.9mm, or almost half the width of last year’s model, adding elegance of space with frame-type bezels available in various colors. Users can choose a customizable frame — white, teak, or brown flat-style bezel, and white or brick red beveled chamfer-style bezel.¹ The Frame can be set up on a TV stand, wall-mounted for a gallery look, or on the recently released studio stand.

Curated Content Through Strategic Partnerships in the Art Store

Aside from its unique and modern design, a focal point of The Frame is the Art Store — its proprietary art subscription platform. When users are not watching content on The Frame, they can use Ambient Mode to choose works of art from the Art Store’s vast library of paintings and photographs to put on display — this way, the screen does not have to be a blank canvas interfering with interior design, but an element that enhances it.

The Frame’s Art Store offers over 1,500 artworks from world-renowned museums and galleries such as the Hermitage Museum in Russia, the Louvre in France and the Prado Museum in Spain. Through partnerships, Samsung has expanded the Art Store’s collection to encompass unique artworks from up-and-coming creators all over the world such as Magnum Photos, a global photojournalist group, and most recently, the leading art photography maison YellowKorner, to offer vibrant artwork that takes advantage of The Frame’s QLED picture quality. With AI-based curation, the 2021 version of The Frame analyzes consumers’ patterns and tastes and recommends new artwork.

The 2021 version of The Frame offers significantly increased storage capacity with 6GB compared to previous versions that offered 500MB. It can now store up to 1,200 pictures in 4K resolution so users can select more art to form their own personalized gallery.

For more information on Samsung’s lifestyle TV portfolio, please visit www.samsung.com.

¹ The Chamfer style bezel is available only in 55″ and 65″

In order to get to know more about how users around the world are enjoying their Samsung lifestyle TVs, Samsung Newsroom reached out to a range of influencers and trailblazers within different creative industries.

Adèle & Maxime, French Graphic Designers With an Interest in How Objects Work With Their Interiors

“Samsung’s lifestyle TVs blend in with the décor, becoming an aesthetic element in their own right – all with simplicity and lightness.”

Q: As designers and illustrators yourselves, what do you think about the design of Samsung’s lifestyle TVs?

A: The design of Samsung TVs is very interesting because, once placed, they become a modern and active object in our interiors. They blend in with the decor, becoming an aesthetic element in their own right – all with simplicity and lightness.

Q: Samsung has partnered with some artists on the design of their lifestyle TVs. What are your thoughts on such partnerships that blend technological innovation with artistic creativity?

A: The idea of opening up the design of an everyday object to creators is something that is very important to us. Technological objects can lose their simplicity and poetry by merit of their design, but by collaborating with creative people, we can bring this issue to the forefront to resolve it.

Virro & Lola, A Mexican-French Photographer and Creative Professional Duo With a Passion for Travel

“Samsung’s lifestyle TVs combine art, aesthetics, interior design and entertainment, making them go far beyond the television function – which is really revolutionary.”

Q: Along with your professional pursuits, you are known for your joint Instagram page where you share your favorite travel experiences. What do you think about The Serif with which you can view your own media and memories?

A: We used to hate the black screen of the TV in our living room, so Ambient Mode is one of the features we love most about The Serif. It’s really cool that Samsung regularly introduces new content for Ambient Mode, but mostly, we’re keen on showcasing our own media and having it on display for ourselves and our guests.

Q: Virro – as a photographer, what is it about Samsung’s lifestyle TVs that appeals to you the most?

A: First of all, thanks to their QLED screens, the image quality is impressive. In addition, Samsung’s lifestyle TVs combine art, aesthetics, interior design and entertainment, making them go far beyond the television function – which is really revolutionary.

Q: Lola – what is your favorite thing about The Serif?

A: What I love most about The Serif is that it’s a TV that doesn’t look like one. Being passionate about interior design, I believe that The Serif is a beautiful, unique and bold addition to a living space.

Kyal & Kara, Australian Renovators Who Like to Think Outside the Box

“The ability to view either your own or world-renowned media on The Frame means that there are infinite ways to create a look and feel unique to each individual.”

Q: How do Samsung’s lifestyle TVs factor into your daily household routines and activities?

A: With two young children and an active lifestyle, we really value our relaxation time together as a family, and Samsung’s lifestyle TVs play a big part in this. On the weekends, we love our movie time together as a family, and the kids love choosing artwork from the Art Store for The Frame we have in our rumpus room – it’s a great way for them to take ownership of the space.

Q: Samsung’s The Frame combines technology with aesthetic for seamless TV experiences. What are your favorite features of the TV?

A: The two standout features for us are the TV’s thin, streamlined design and the customizable bezel. We’re all about creating spaces that evoke emotion as you enter the room, and the ability to view either your own or world-renowned media on the TV means that there are infinite ways to create a look and feel unique to each individual.

Q: What tips would you provide to users looking to match their Samsung lifestyle TV to their interior?

A: We have three key tips. Tip 1: function first – work out how you’d like your TV to be displayed. The Serif is a great option for angular spaces where wall mounting or units are not an option.

Tip 2: find your inspiration. From color palettes to other décor pieces, be sure to know what’s important in your space. Finally, tip 3: create a style unique to you. Ask yourself what vibe you’re looking for with your space. For example, if you prefer minimal interior styling, The Frame with a white bezel would be the perfect choice.

Lotte Meister, an American Interior Decorator and Stager Who Loves When Function Meets Style

“The Serif feels both retro and modern at the same time and doesn’t take up too much visual space the way a TV on a console table might.”

Q: Samsung’s lifestyle TVs are developed to be able to fit into any interior space and aesthetic. What are your thoughts on the design of The Serif? What do you like most about it?

A: The Serif’s clean lines and cool vibe make it a decorative element in its own right. What’s more, the sloped ceilings of our bedroom did not permit a flat screen to be hung on the wall, yet we wanted to be able to watch TV in bed. The Serif was the perfect solution. It feels both retro and modern at the same time and doesn’t take up too much visual space the way a TV on a console table might. The hidden wiring is also genius – the decorator and stager in me loves the look!

Q: What about The Frame? What do you like most about it?

A: We have 3 homes across New York state, each with completely different aesthetics. We have a Frame TV in each of these homes, and it looks great in each location. I love it because it looks like another piece of art and doesn’t scream “Look at me, I’m a TV!”. The choice of finishes available for The Frame make it work in every style of home.

Jin-woong Son, a Korean Furniture Designer With a Passion for the Harmony of the Interior

“The Frame’s bezel is so refined that the joints fit perfectly when you switch out your bezel – like puzzle piece slotting into place.”

Q: As a professional furniture designer, do you have any special criteria in mind when choosing a TV?

A: I would never choose a product that doesn’t harmonize with the space it is to be placed in, which is why I currently use The Frame, as I like how it can be used as an actual art frame when the screen is turned off.

On top of that, you can easily change The Frame’s bezel color to match your changing interior any time you want, something that you can’t do with most electronics. Furthermore, the bezel’s joints are designed at a 45° angle, and as a furniture designer, this strikes me as amazingly sophisticated. The bezel is so refined that the joints fit perfectly when you switch out your bezel – like puzzle pieces slotting into place.

Q: These days, the demand for lifestyle TVs that are able to merge seamlessly into a user’s space is on the rise. What are your thoughts on this trend?

A: In the past, the TV used to play the role of gathering family members all together in the living space while also providing entertainment. These days, however, the role of TVs has become much more about providing multifaceted entertainment experiences, as well as serving as statement furniture pieces.

For those living in a small space, The Serif makes the perfect choice – as opposed to, say, a huge wall-mounted TV – as it makes use of the space it takes up by serving as a sophisticated interior décor item that stands on its own as a piece of furniture.

* The influencers featured in the article are Samsung’s paid influencer partners.

With new artworks from the Louvre joining the collection, The Frame now boasts a catalog with over 1,500 works of art from 42 different countries that consumers can enjoy in 4K picture quality from museums and galleries around the world, including the Prado Museum in Madrid, the Albertina Museum in Vienna, the Tate Modern in London, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the Hermitage State Museum in Saint Petersburg and LUMAS.

“Ever since we launched our lifestyle TV portfolio in 2017, we have focused on developing the Art Store platform with prestigious partners. We want to offer much more than a television, inviting Art into the homes of The Frame owners everywhere. This catalog lists works by hundreds of artists, covering diverse periods, from ancient civilizations to modern art,” explained Wonjin Lee, President and Head of Service Biz Team at Samsung Electronics. “This year, we are proud to join forces with one of the most famous museums in the world, the Louvre, to enhance this collection and offer a taste of French heritage throughout the world.”

Admire the Louvre’s Treasures From Your Own Home

By entering into a partnership with the Louvre,¹ Samsung offers all The Frame owners a chance to explore the most visited museum in the world through forty pieces of artwork and photographs. This selection includes must-see masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa and The Wedding Feast at Cana, as well as photos of the majestic Louvre galleries, its architecture and museum grounds (Louvre Pyramid, Tuileries Garden, etc.). A short description of each work gives users a glimpse into their background and history.

Samsung and the Louvre also plan to unveil other exclusive content for The Frame users later this year.

“The Louvre is a venue of discovery, imbued with emotion, a spectacular setting for artistic masterpieces. Admiring works from its collection every day, at home, as well as views of the building, galleries and gardens, is a wonderful way to see and understand the extraordinary beauty of this museum,” said Yann Le Touher, Head of Development, Brand Licensing and Commercial Partnerships of the Louvre.

Ultra-Slim Design and Exceptional Picture Quality

The Frame boasts a unique and customizable design that sets it apart from the rest. Designed to be a TV when it’s on and art when it’s off, The Frame is an innovative digital canvas that reflects an individual’s personal style. The 2021 version of the lifestyle TV offers new custom options to complement every space and style, with two frame designs: modern (available in white, teak and brown) and bevelled (available in white and brick red).²

To complete the artwork appeal, The Frame can be hung flush to the wall on an ultra-slim mount and connected to a One Connect box via a single translucent³ cable that integrates all TV connectors including the power source. Users can also set The Frame anywhere in the room on a Studio Stand.⁴

In addition to its gallery-ready design, The Frame provides a vibrant 4K⁵ QLED picture quality powered by Quantum Dot Technology that allows 100% color volume, immersing viewers in a world of rich and realistic colors.

For more information on Samsung’s lifestyle TV products, please visit www.samsung.com.

About the Musée du Louvre

Formerly a royal palace, the Louvre has embraced the history of France for eight centuries. Open to the public since 1793, the Louvre collections are among the finest in the world, encompassing several thousands of years and spread across a large territory from America to the confines of Asia. Divided among eight departments, the collections feature works admired throughout the globe, including the Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, and the Venus de Milo.

After the French Revolution, the Louvre was created as a place where artists could admire the great masters and look for inspiration. Even today, the Louvre remains a place of inspiration for the greatest contemporary creators, architects, painters, sculptors, dancers, and musicians.

More information on www.louvre.fr.

¹ Through 30 June 2023

² For the 55 and 65-inch models

³ Comes with one 5-meter cable; 15-meter cable available separately. Available for the 43, 50, 55, 65 and 75-inch models.

⁴ Sold separately.

⁵ The 32-inch model is in QLED Full HD.

The Louvre has a fascinating and rich history; a former royal palace, it has been a cornerstone of French history for over eight centuries. Open to the public since 1793, the Louvre’s collections are among the finest in the world, spanning several thousands of years and regions of origin from America to the borders of Asia and beyond. Divided into eight departments, it houses some of most recognizable art pieces in the world, including the Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, and the Venus de Milo.

Samsung Newsroom spoke with Yann Le Touher, Head of Development, Brand Licensing and Commercial Partnerships at the Louvre, to learn more about what users can expect from this exciting partnership.

▲ Pyramide et Palais du musée du Louvre (2021) by Nicolas Guiraud

LFH (Louvre From Home)

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, everyday life has been flipped on its head. The arts and entertainment were among the industries hardest hit, but that didn’t stop the public’s yearning to enjoy cultural pursuits. In order to allow people to still be able to experience its collections, the Louvre sought out new and innovative method of sharing art including uploading its entire art collection online.

According to Le Touher, this has been a crucial step in making sure the Louvre accomplishes its main mission of sharing art with as many people as possible. “It is important to share knowledge on as many of the artworks preserved at the Louvre as possible,” highlighted Le Touher. “We believe this online platform, which presents thousands of our artworks, is useful not only to art historians and researchers, but also art lovers.”

▲ Mona Lisa (1503-1519) by Leonardo da Vinci

Samsung and the Louvre’s partnership is in line with the goal of bringing artwork closer to art fanatics around the world thanks to Samsung TVs’ pristine picture quality and lifelike images. The Frame is known for its ability to display images that look remarkably like physical prints and paintings, with the screen’s signature Quantum Dot technology making colors more vibrant and contrast sharper. “We were impressed by the features offered by The Frame and were interested in the idea of bringing art into peoples’ homes as well as making it more accessible,” noted Le Touher.

As an iconic structure itself, photos of the Louvre itself are also available, bringing Parisian chic directly to you so as to bring the entire Louvre experience to your home. The Art Store provides access to an expansive range of artworks from world-renowned galleries and museums directly to your home, elevating any living space.

Find Your Inspiration

The Louvre has cemented itself as a place of inspiration for artists and art-enthusiasts alike. “The greatest architects, painters, sculptors, and craftsmen not only imagined and embellished the palace, but also lived, worked, and exhibited their work at the Louvre for over three hundred years,” said Le Touher.

In September, the Louvre opened its latest exhibition dedicated to Greek art. This project highlights the cultural, historical and artistic links between France and Greece in the 19th century and shows how the rediscovery of Greek antiquity changed the European view of Greece.

Thanks to The Frame’s ever-growing library of art some of that inspiration can now be yours too. There are 40 pieces of artwork from the Louvre and photographs of the iconic building, available on the Art Store today.

▲ Le Sacre de Napoléon (1806-1807) by Jacques Louis David 

“Our selection of artworks from the Louvre include great masterpieces, such as the Liberty Leading the People, and the Grande Odalisque,” noted Le Touher. “We also want to promote lesser-known paintings that are important and meaningful in art history.” The Louvre and the Art Store partnership has, for example, added the painting Deux chiens de chasse liés à une souche (1548) by Jacopo Bassano, a monumental piece as the first animal portrait in Western painting, albeit less known than works such as the Mona Lisa.

“We are proud to be part of the partners highlighted in the Art Store,” affirmed Le Touher. “Thanks to Samsung’s technology and innovation, we have the opportunity to give people the impression of having a reproduction of their favorite work at home. Obviously, this does not replace a visit to the museum but we strongly believe it can bring inspiration and joy to many homes.”

Samsung’s lifestyle TV The Frame is known for its ability to recreate images that look remarkably like physical prints and paintings, with quantum dots in the panels making colors more vibrant and sharpening contrast. The Frame has been offering curated selections since 2017, with the Art Store providing access to an expansive range of artworks from a host of eras and contributions from world-renowned galleries and museums.

Under its monthly theme of ‘Wild and Free’, the Art Store is featuring world-renowned photographer Tommy Clarke, whose aerial photography transports viewers to scenic, dreamlike destinations. Samsung Newsroom sat down with Clarke to learn about his creative journey and his work.

The View From Up Here

Ever since he first picked up a camera, Clarke knew that photography would allow him to capture his artistic vision in a way no other medium could. “I found I could most easily capture what I wanted to with a camera,” he says. “Plus, I’m able to have my camera with me at all times!”

And Clarke’s preference for aerial photography has led him all over the globe, from Miami Beach to Iceland, as he searches out interesting scenes to capture. “From there it becomes about whether I can get a helicopter or plane over the area,” he relates. “When the stars align, I pack a camera and go.”

Rather than orchestrate a scene, Clarke prefers to capture what’s naturally going on beneath him, flying high enough so that people aren’t looking up at him, but low enough so that he can capture those important details.

Capturing Incredible Colors Around the Globe

For Clarke, color is a vital element when it comes to getting the perfect shot. “The colors may be the most important part of my photos. It’s what first catches the eye and it’s why my photos hang on walls around the world,” he says. “Capturing incredible colors – be they from sand bars in Australia, or colorful beach towels in Saint Tropez – is what gives my photos their beauty.”

And technology plays a huge role in ensuring those colors are accurately reflected. On The Frame, which produces 100% color volume thanks to quantum dot technology, colors have a lifelike quality that truly communicates the artist’s intent. “I am used to world class printers and museum quality paper, so when I first saw my images on The Frame, I was blown away,” he notes. “The colors pop in the same way they do in a physical print.”

Redefining Norms

With technology like The Frame’s QLED display now available to him, Clarke says his craft is shifting. “I’d be willing to put on a fully digital exhibition now. Technology like The Frame gives me full faith that my images will be displayed exactly as I want them to be,” he says. “Given the choice of doing an exhibition with five screens on the wall showing images on rotation, or printing and framing forty images, I’d go for The Frame every time.”

What’s more, with The Frame users have access to an ever-growing library of art unlike any other. In Clarke’s opinion, “The best part about The Frame is that you don’t have to choose just one picture to hang on the wall. Often, people at my gallery are torn when deciding which picture to buy. But The Frame resolves this by allowing them to rotate the images they’re displaying.”

8 of Clarke’s pieces are available today on the Art Store and The Frame.

▲ (From left) Kyuseong Lee, Kang-il Chung and Sunwoo Kim, the lifestyle TV product planners at Samsung Electronics’ Visual Display Business

The characteristics of TVs are continuing to evolve in line with the latest trends and lifestyle patterns. Against this backdrop, the role of the television has expanded. Whereas it used to simply be a device for delivering entertainment, the TV has now become a central component of users’ interior design schemes.

To keep up with emerging trends, Samsung Electronics has continued to think outside the box as it explores new possibilities for TVs. Since 2015, the company has been continuously pushing the envelope to develop new looks and features on its televisions, and ensure that consumers can fit their TV to their lifestyle. So, how did Samsung come up with its lifestyle TV line, and what kind of consumer experience is it aiming to provide? To find out, Samsung Newsroom met with the company’s lifestyle TV product planners, who have contributed to solutions ranging from The Serif to The Terrace.

Lifestyle TVs: Becoming More Than Just a Fixture of the Living Room

Vivid picture and a sense of immersion are two fundamental elements that a television must provide, with a well designed product capable of delivering both. Nowadays, lifestyles are shifting, and viewing has moved out of the living room, with people preferring to consume their content in whichever room they are in at the time.

“Our goal was to allow consumers to have a range of different screens for the various spaces in their house,” said group leader Kang-il Chung. “This would allow them to enjoy whatever content they wanted, wherever they were, based on Samsung’s ‘Screens Everywhere’ philosophy.” Chung’s work involves analyzing tech trends and usage patterns, which allowed him to start determining which new features users want from their television.

“In order to establish concepts for new TV products and functions, we look at things like how televisions are being used, interior decoration trends and the overall cultural and lifestyle preferences of our users,” explained product planner Kyuseong Lee. During the planning stage, the product planners focus on connecting the desired user experience to the essence of the product. By doing this, the team seeks to make it easier for the user to comprehend both the product’s story and the distinct experience it offers. Added Lee, “Rather than simply adding lots of different functions, we work to clearly define the main concept of the product, then make it different. In this way, we look to realize all aspects of the core experience to perfection.”

The Serif and The Frame: Bringing Classy Décor to Your Other Rooms

Since the time of its invention, the television has been considered a staple of the living room. But now, with a growing number of users also putting TVs in rooms like their bedrooms and studies, this is changing. In line with this trend, Samsung has expanded what it deems the ‘TV space’ from the living room to a range of other rooms. Along with this, the company has started to develop televisions that not only suit the interior aesthetics of those other rooms, but include features that match the needs and lifestyles of the people using the rooms.

In September of 2015, Samsung introduced its first lifestyle TV, The Serif, which was designed to contribute to users’ interior design schemes. The Serif’s iconic I-shaped design was created by the internationally renowned Bouroullec Brothers, and is an ideal choice for those who want an aesthetically pleasing television that goes well in any space. “We pursued a meaningful design that emphasized people and space, and tried to get away from the usual ‘TV look’,” said Chung. “A lot of consumers claim that The Serif looks more like a lifestyle product than a TV.”

The product planning team’s ongoing efforts to develop new models that blend well with their surrounding environments also contributed to the development of The Frame. Looking like a modern picture frame, this television can be matched to any home décor style and features an ‘Art Mode’ that allows viewers to enjoy artistic masterpieces from the comfort of their homes. The TV’s sensors are also capable of automatically detecting illumination intensity and movement. “Samsung is collaborating with world-renowned curators, renowned art galleries, museums and artists to deliver a broad collection of art through the Art Store,” related Sunwoo Kim. “We will keep working hard to ensure that we are able to display an increasingly broad range of great artworks in stunning resolution.”

Thinking Outside the Box: The Sero for Millennials

And Samsung’s ‘think outside the box’ development philosophy goes beyond considerations of space and expands to form. Whereas a typical television has a horizontal, 16:9-aspect-ratio screen, modern viewers’ increasing use of mobile devices means that watching content on vertical screens is becoming more and more common. The Millennial generation’s tendency to watch things on their smartphones, in particular, has contributed to the increased prominence of vertically displayed content. Thus, The Sero was developed as an answer to the question, ‘what if we could make the TV screen rotatable so that it could better match the lifestyles of Millennial users?’

The Sero is the result of this bold idea. “Developing the Sero with a rotating screen was a long and challenging journey, as it was like we were exploring unchartered territory,” said the product planners. The team had to consider a broad range of factors, such as whether the user would rotate the screen manually or whether it would rotate automatically. The project brought many different teams together as they set out to create a whole new consumer experience, with their efforts eventually culminating in ‘The Sero’. “We are witnessing an increasing amount of consumption of vertical, short-form content on social networking sites,” remarked Chung. “And The Sero allows viewers to use screen mirroring to watch this content in a full screen, immersive format.”

Expanding to Other Spaces: The Premiere and The Terrace

Over time, the focus of Samsung’s Lifestyle TVs has shifted again. Due to the pandemic, many people prefer watching movies at home to going to the theater these days. The Premiere is specifically designed for those who want to create a theater-like environment in their homes. This easy-to-install model boasts a large, theater-like screen with very sharp picture quality. “With The Premiere, you can enjoy your favorite content on an ultra-large screen from the comfort of your home,” related Kim. “With a premium fabric finish, The Premiere also serves as an excellent complement to your interior décor.”

In the current climate, more people are also making use of private outdoor spaces such as balconies. In line with such consumer lifestyle changes, Samsung has introduced its first outdoor TV model, The Terrace. With superior water and dust resistance, The Terrace delivers an outstanding viewing experience regardless of rain, heat or other adverse weather events. Said Lee, “Going forward, the outdoor TV market is expected to grow exponentially. The Terrace provides an optimal outdoor viewing experience, delivering exceptionally vivid and detailed images in both the sunlight and the shade.”

As our TVs become increasingly important parts of our lives, some argue that the evolution of the product is nearing its conclusion. But Chung thinks differently, claiming that, “There is still an unending range of possibilities for what our televisions might become in the future.” He expressed hope that himself and his team will be able to keep introducing new and varied lifestyle TV models to keep providing fresh experiences to consumers.

Samsung’s lifestyle TV product planners believe that TVs need to keep evolving in order to keep up with continuously changing lifestyles. “We want to develop TVs that people want to own, and that they’ll want to show off,” Kim stressed. “Our dream is to build a so-called ‘lifestyle universe’ where each space is equipped with a lifestyle TV that suits the function of the space.”