From a 43’ in the Corner, to a 65-inch Gallery TV: My Journey into Wall Art with LG
Thanks to LG, I recently upgraded from an LG UHD AI UT80 to a 65-inch Gallery TV. This has been quite the revelation in terms of location, and sensory amplification.
When devising the thrust of this review, one question loomed large in my mind: How well does the Gallery TV blend into a modern living space? I will explain my answer below.
When I made a review for the LG Gallery+ app on my former Television, it led to the Eternal question when we discuss Art. How does it make you feel? And I have to say, the 65-inch Gallery TV makes me feel incredibly impressed, inspired, and on occasion, genuinely moved. And it does this without feeling extraneous in any way. (In no small part thanks to the gallery-style mount)
The contrast between the models is extremely noticeable when examined on its own, or as I have added with my smaller art pieces, as part of a larger wall collage. It feels part of the wall, which means the LG+ Gallery feels like a natural flow, rather than an enjoyable app.
Of course, the Magnetic frame helps with the immersion, as even when the screen is turned off, its characteristics give it the inherent qualities of a blank canvas, waiting to spring to life.
Rather than a smaller TV stand set in the corner of the room, I now have a centrepiece display in pride of place. And I would have to admit; I like to show it off to people!
When you make excuses to invite people to see a feature of your house, and they remain to admire it, you know you have an irrefutable success.
As you may imagine, Gallery Mode is as inviting and gratifying as the name suggests. I find myself standing to appreciate the images for minutes on end. This certainly never happened with my Former Television!
Before I forget, I must make a note of how much more comfortable seating feels when taking in the view of the art TV. Rather than bowing my head to see a picture at below eye level, I now can sit upright as I train my eye to images mounted just above eye level. I am not sure if research has been conducted on this, but I can only imagine this is far better for posture and comfort! It most definitely is for me.
It has made me invested in the wall as an exhibit. Its original setting was going to be on a back wall, but now it has been moved to a more public room, next to the Fireplace and Chimney. But it invites attention, so deserves an audience!
And halfway through my two-week review, I invested in illumination to enhance and emphasise the tone that the pictures bring. I acquired both uplighting and ceiling-mounted strip lighting to reflect the mood of the exhibit. In fact, the uplighting can be synchronised via Bluetooth with the display of the art TV to augment the ambience of every piece!
I should emphasise that my reaction is not just limited to LG Gallery Plus. Utilising Apps on the front page of the 65-inch Gallery TV, I made a foray into films and gaming. Look at these shots from Forza Horizon 6 and Project Hail Mary. It makes every frame a masterpiece, no matter the source.
As before, you can also add your own soundtrack via Bluetooth, which enables you to decide the pitch and the atmosphere of the viewing!
Speaking of the front page, one of the greatest improvements is the incredibly responsive OS, which adds to the immersion of the gallery mode, compared to my smaller set. Navigation speed across the board is one of the core enhancements.
In addition, QR codes are present in several LG apps. In Gallery +, you can even find out more information via the QR code triggered by the ‘I’ button
This has the secondary effect of feeling safer in exploring the LG channels and apps. Before, I was nervous (perhaps unnecessarily) of overburdening my TV by downloading and using apps.
This time, I have the opposite problem. I have downloaded so many apps and explored so many channels that I have not had the time to examine the complete list of features of each one. But I am excited to do so, especially with features that enable me to add my own photos!
I must make a note of some technical details and innovations:
The back of the 65-inch Gallery TV contains grooved pathing to ease the tidying of cables. In my excitement to mount the Television on the wall, I did not take a photo. But this Image from the LG UK website is an accurate representation. Even better, I was able to obtain cable trunking that matched the colour of the Art TV Frame!
The matte screen has killed almost all light source reflections. I went through all the photos I took for this project, and not one reflected light was noticeable. A HUGE upgrade!
Despite being given the specs and dimensions, I was still unprepared for the change in size! The box it arrives in is huge, and I originally thought there would be no way to have it live alongside the art seen in my previous review. Thankfully, the large box is just a false panic, and the Television is much more manageable.
And do not worry if you do not have time to curate; LG has created huge collections that will see you through hosting any event with a gallery at your fingertips!
This may have started with me receiving this product for free from LG as part of a promotional event, but the experience has enabled me to elevate my layout, and now I can share my findings as requested, safe in the knowledge that everything I have written is not only entirely my own opinion, but one that has evolved the longer I have reviewed it.
In fact, it has moved me to renovation. So rather than a bare wall, I will be installing acoustic panels and knocking back the open fireplace into a log Burner, to accommodate my larger pieces. This will also give a wider field of view, and make my heating, viewing, and functional space more efficient and eco-friendly.
Given these circumstances, it seems almost unfair to directly compare this design to my previous set, as to paraphrase Daft Punk, every aspect is Better, Faster, Harder, Stronger, but also bigger and more pleasing to the eye!
My Only Lament is that I wished I had known of these qualities in the Summer months. I threw several post-match parties where we could have firstly watched the game, and then would have enjoyed the artistic background afterwards.
But I now have events during Halloween, Guy Fawkes Night, Christmas, New Year, and my Birthday I can plan for!
In summation, the Gallery TV blends into a modern living space superbly, and I genuinely believe anyone who uses the Gallery mode will find themselves driven to contemplate their space, and how the ambience and Atmosphere of the location it resides in does reflect, or can reflect, their character. I certainly have.
And if a Gallery TV, this canvas that comes alive with movement and light, can make us ponder all of this just by its addition to our living space, the other eternal question then must be answered: Is it itself, Art?
And my answer would be unequivocally, yes.
So, who would enjoy this type of TV most? I would recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone who wants to augment their environment and be inspired. Particularly if you want to bring a focal or talking point, attractive screen, or unobtrusive motion to an area, then this is for you.
Of Course, this also counts if you just require a superb television with excellent performance and an attractive frame.
For its price point, I do not think it can be beaten as a 65-Inch Gallery Television. My only regret is that I did not upgrade sooner!
I hope this review has been helpful to you, and I would be happy to answer any questions.