The Rise of Art TVs: A New Breed of Displays

I have watched Star Wars so many times I’ve lost count. Yet, I’m also a bit of an art snob. For years, the Andrew Wyeth painting Christina’s World took a prominent place in my living room.

Art televisions—the category of TV pioneered by Samsung's Frame and now rapidly expanding with models from many of the major TV producers —combine my passion for movies and shows with an even greater interest in art and photography. When it comes to their performance as televisions, even the best art TVs don't have quite the same punchy colors and speedy refresh rates found on similarly priced standard televisions. However, when the movie is finished, art TVs look a lot better in a room, displaying art and photos on a matte screen with a pristine clarity in a space otherwise wasted by a black box.

Art televisions are typically just a little more expensive than a normal 4K TV. The main players in this market are Samsung, Amazon, Hisense, and TCL, with prices ranging from $1,100 to $2,000. An art TV uses a matte finish and includes a few hundred (or even thousands) of art images and photographs.

Some, like the new Amazon Ember Artline, include “moving artwork”—essentially, a painting that comes alive with subtle video elements. There’s hidden cost savings here. Buying a framed painting, even as a photo print, can easily cost $600 or more at the larger sizes .

That’s also just one static painting. An art television can show Picasso one day and Andrew Wyeth the next. Want an actual oil painting from someone who is famous?

That costs many thousands more . And, of course, no painting is capable of switching to Netflix to watch Rebel Moon . Why this matters: The emergence of art TVs reflects a growing demand for multifunctional devices that can seamlessly transition between entertainment and decoration.

As the lines between technology and art continue to blur, art TVs are poised to disrupt the traditional TV market. For consumers, art TVs offer a unique opportunity to display their personal style and interests in their living space. For developers and businesses, this trend presents new opportunities for innovation and revenue streams.

However, questions remain about the long-term viability of art TVs, including their adoption rates, content offerings, and potential impact on the art market. As the market continues to evolve, one thing is clear: art TVs are redefining the way we experience entertainment and art in our homes.