Samsung woos artists to its displays

Samsung Electronics is working to convince a picky consumer segment ― artists ― to turn to its flat panel computer displays when the muse stirs them. The company said yesterday that it would provide its liquid crystal display monitors to artists participating in the “Public Moment” exhibition at the Artist Forum International in Seoul this year. Artist Forum International, a new event, will include exhibitions, academic sessions, workshops and projects to appear in several major Korean cities. It has drawn 25 domestic and foreign artistic teams, began yesterday and ends on Sept. 30. “Public Moment,” an exhibition that is part of the forum, will be held in several locations near Hongik University in Seoul. Artists who use video monitors in their work will have access to Samsung flat panels in sizes ranging from 17-inch monitors to 46-inch television sets. On the other side of the world, the American pop artist Peter Max held a “virtual” exhibition Saturday, incorporating video conferencing technology with Samsung plasma display panels. The artist “recreated” his New York studio at a gallery in Las Vegas where the Samsung screens, in this case not provided by the company, were used. With technological help from LifeSize, a video communications systems firm in Dallas, Texas, Mr. Max was linked from his studio in New York with visitors to the Las Vegas exhibition. His paintings are part of the collections of more than 70 museums around the world. He is known for his use of vibrant colors, a point Samsung was quick to highlight, and was named the official artist for the 2006 U.S. Olympic team as well as at other U.S. and international events. by Wohn Dong-hee