Featured Original Art in the Age of Slim, Cheap TVs

It seems that sleek, large 4K resolution TV screens and monitors now often sell for less than many (maybe most) good quality original oil paintings. When I talk with my friends about buying some 19th century oil painting, they often suggest I buy a high end 60" TV instead. They argue a nice TV with slim bezel can display almost any piece of art more cost-effectively (if one doesn't care about the painting's frame).

Aside from the downsides of TVs (power requirement, cords, etc.), do my friends have a point? Is it nuts to collect antique artwork? Obviously famous, high value pieces excluded.

My theory is that original artwork will become more valuable in an age of intangibles. When virtually everything can be easily reprinted or displayed, original pieces will carry relatively more value.

Have you wondered about this?

 

If I knew what the future holds.........I'd be a multi Millionaire already !

How many 60 inch TV's do you have room for on your walls.....

I have a lovely 12 x14 inch original acrylic on paper right behind me....I don't want or need it to be 60 inches ....and glowing , for me to enjoy it for the rest of my life...!

If you want.....buy that 60 incher.....set it in front and under your mantle...and turn it to the fireplace channel in winter.......and aquarium channel in summer....

that I can get behind......other wise imo....yer friends are short sighted and have no point at all.

 

I remember reading that bill gates had the same idea back when he was building his mansion (using TVs to display art). Apparently the idea hasn’t taken off yet but a company is still trying: https://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/Start-up-delivers-fine-art-to-flat-panel-and-1125833.php

 

Personally I would rather have the painting, but I do believe that is a minority opinion.

 

Seeeing the quantity of cheap prints and schlock art that ends up in the thrift stores tells me that the majority of people have little taste or true appreciation of art. A TV screen with a picture they can change at whim would probably suit them just fine.

 

Screens as display media will probably be the desire of many people. The fact that you have friends telling you to just use a TV seems to indicate a trend. I suppose one factor is that the art could be easily changed to something else. Others have brought up insights, too. The size of the screen(s) is set, so if a person wants a lot of art around the house in different rooms, 60" screens would quickly lead to no wall space.

I think your theory has merit. What really matters, though, is which art *you* prefer for your own living space. If you are thinking of dealing in art, that's a bit different. I think there will always be people who prefer the original works of art. Whether the future preference for screen display art will match or exceed the current preference of some for printed or painted art reproductions is hard to tell.

 

You could always have multiple "paintings" displayed on that one 60" tv. Makes it easy to have different themes for each day/month or special occasions. Perfect lighting and angle, no constantly marking up your wall depending on how you hang your physical art. Lots of pros for the average person. It seems some companies are embracing it fully. https://www.samsung.com/us/tvs/the-frame/art-mode/

 

hummmm.....

one of my favourite paintings is in my bedroom....
at night when I close my lights , the room is dark...

a large electronic screen.....as anyone who ever watched TV from their bed before going to sleep....would know.....lights up the room !!!!

so.... every night before bed , one would have to go around the house turning off .... their wall art.....or what....use the Clapper ?????

 

As to your theory, there are many millions of artworks around the globe. Even in an age of intangibles, the supply of original art will be greater than the demand.

 

I think it would be a good idea to use in schools.
Kids may not get the chance to see art of all kinds, so this could be a way to show them other things they never saw before.

 

I would have agreed 100% 5 years ago but now smart TVs seem to be taking over! You could just schedule your TVs to automagically display whatever, whenever, and have them turn off when you go to bed. Also with smart contrast controls, we may get to a point where a TV could almost perfectly mimic your acrylic w/ little or no glow and very little power use...

Appreciate everyone's thoughts. I don't think we're yet at the point where TV's could replace artwork, however I wouldn't be surprised if that starts to happen in 10-20 yrs. TV tech just keeps improving.

In a sense, the debate gets back to questions about long term storage and valuing IP vs physical property... Digital storage is theoretically more durable, but is more susceptible to catastrophic loss if backups fail, etc. Some Ebay art sellers claim to reserve the rights to the IP of the (physical) art they sell...

 

Samsung makes "The Frame" TV. It is built to mimic art in a frame and really does look the part. You can change the frames out also white, black, walnut, aluminum and so on. When the tv is off it displays any art you would like and even let's you change matting type and color. Sizes go from 32" up

 

if it displays art...then it's not really off , is it !!

my screen saver is a photo of art.....and I can have it scroll thru my other art photo's.......it's just not hanging on my wall !!!

 

There is a lot of satisfaction that comes with collecting art. The thrill of the hunt, researching artists, framing and arranging your collection. Having an actual physical work of art that the artist handled gives you a connection to another place and time. I like to walk around the house, look at my pictures and think about how they came to be. I don’t think a picture on a TV would do that for me. Over my 30 years of collecting I can only think of a couple of people that were interested in hearing about my collection, other than people on the forum. @verybrad made a good point, just look in thrift stores or at the pictures for estate sales, there is a lot really uninteresting art out there that people have owned.

 

In his old age Cardinal Richelieu reputedly walked through his palace looking at all the stuff he had acquired and regretting that he wouldn't be able to take it with him.

 

Why not buy one of those One of a Kind Original JPEGS for a few mil ? Whatever they're called-pay with Bitcoin-but use your Crypto quickly to buy your Crypto Arte'.

 

NFT 's ..

 

NFT's that's it !- Thanks Bro Komo.I was thinking of the NFL,back when I was kid watching Joe Montana & the Niners with a 12 pack and chips on Superbowl Sunday.
That's the one time an old 'Hippie' like me became a 'Jock' (didn't beat anybody up of course)-the 1980's San Francisco Forty Niners !

 

no argument there.......

even from a Cowboys fan !!