NFT art has gone from being a confusing and ephemeral fad to a tangible new digital art form. Part of that acceptance comes from making collecting and selling NFT art easier. New to embrace NFTs is LG with its own app, the LG Art Lab, that can be accessed on its new OLED TVs.
This year has already seen Samsung lead the way at bringing NFT art into our homes with its own platform backed by NFT marketplace Nifty Gateway, and its The Frame TV is one of the best around. You can read more about Samsung's NFT TV in our previous story. If you want to know about a display designed for NFTs, read my feature 'Why Tokenframe is one of the best NFT frames for digital art'.
LG is going head-to-head with its Korean competitor as it launches a bespoke NFT app for its new WebOS 5.0 TVs, called LG Art Lab. While Samsung has partnered with Nifty Gateway, LG has opted for the lesser-known Hedera Network, which it has supported since 2020.
What does the new LG Art Lab mean for creators? Essentially it's going to remove even more obstacles between NFT collection and selling, enabling everyone who owns an LG TV that supports WebOS 5.0 or higher to access new digital art. Accessibility is a major factor for LG's approach – it will use LG's own mobile crypto wallet Wallypto and NFTs can be bought by just scanning a QR code and then traded on the LG Art Lab Marketplace. LG is removing barriers to entry, and that's a big deal.
You will be able to collect and view digital art on LG's new TVs (Image credit: LG)
LG's app will also feature the LG Art Lab Drops function that shares timings of new NFT drops and project details; a live countdown ticks by to show users when new art will go live. While NFT art is successful because it's decentralised, the more the likes of LG and Samsung join the fray the more the scene becomes curated – which is no bad thing. Other NFT displays, such as Netgear's excellent Meural Canvas II, offer similar organised art collections to simply view or buy. Read up on the Canvas II in our guide to the best NFT displays.
While LG is making headlines today for its introduction of NFT art through its TVs, a look at who's supporting Hedera via the Hedera Council reveals there are some major companies lining up to get into NFTs in the future; the likes of Google, IBM and Ubisoft are all involved.
New NFT art will be added at regular intervals for collectors.
To launch LG Art Lab the TV making has partnered with sculptor Barry X Ball, who is known for making use of 3D scanning technology to interpret modernist and classical sculpture in new and interesting forms. His first NFT project, called Metal, is launching via the LG Art Lab app. This will be followed by a second NFT drop, called Stone. New NFT art will be added at regular intervals for collectors.
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If you are looking for a new TV, then take a look at our regularly updated price list if the best LG deals right now, as well as the best TVs generally available now. Also, Samsung's The Frame deals are available, and this is one of the best current TVs for NFTs and for viewing digital art.
Ian Dean is Editor, Digital Arts & 3D at Creative Bloq, and the former editor of many leading magazines. These titles included ImagineFX, 3D World and video game titles Play and Official PlayStation Magazine. Ian launched Xbox magazine X360 and edited PlayStation World. For Creative Bloq, Ian combines his experiences to bring the latest news on digital art, VFX and video games and tech, and in his spare time he doodles in Procreate, ArtRage, and Rebelle while finding time to play Xbox and PS5.
