Cyprus Mail 5 December 2020 - by Eleni Philippou
With a digital collection of some of the world’s most iconic and intriguing lost artworks, Samsung announces the launch of its Missing Masterpieces exhibition. Featuring pieces that cannot be physically seen anywhere as they are feared to have been lost forever, they have been brought together for the first time to be enjoyed by anyone, wherever they are, and to aid the work being done to recover them.
Twelve missing masterpieces by some of the world’s most famous artists such as Van Gogh, Cézanne and Monet are being exhibited on The Frame TV. Samsung is harnessing the power of technology to connect people in the search to find lost art from the comfort of their living rooms.
The works include View Auvers-sur-Oise by Paul Cézanne, which went missing when burglars took advantage of New Year’s Eve 1999 festivities to steal the painting, by climbing adjacent scaffolding, smashing a skylight, dropping a rope ladder and shielding their path with a smoke bomb. Chloe & Emma by Barbora Kysilkova was stolen in broad daylight from a museum in Norway. The thieves plucked out more than 200 nails to pull out the canvas, leaving its frame in an immaculate state.
“As our lives have become more virtual,” say organisers, “the power that technology has to bring people together has never been clearer. The Missing Masterpieces exhibition features some of the most striking lost paintings produced by world-renowned artists and allows everyone to experience and learn more about these beautiful pieces of art, some of which may never be found.
“Across Europe, the pandemic has had a significant impact on art and culture. Millions of euros worth of art is stolen every year, but during lockdown alone, at least six pieces were stolen including Van Gogh’s Spring Garden, which was taken on what would have been the artist’s 167th birthday,” organisers add.
To help those actively trying to find these incredible lost pieces, art lovers and amateur detectives are invited to share any tips, theories or clues they can discover and by using #MissingMasterpieces hashtag help gather all the evidence together.
George Tsaousis, Head of Consumer Electronics IT and B2B Division of Samsung Electronics Hellas in Greece and Cyprus said: “Art is for the enjoyment of everyone, and we have a collective responsibility to protect and preserve our culture for future generations. This is why we are launching Missing Masterpieces, to ensure priceless pieces that may never be seen again, can be enjoyed by as wide an audience as possible. The Frame embodies this, helping to democratise art for everyone and acting as both a TV and a window into the world of art.”
The Frame is unlike any other television. With its uniquely frame-like design, it functions both as a multi-media art platform while blending into home décor when not in use. From the moment it is turned off, Art Mode turns on – transforming the once blank, black screen into a gallery for the world’s most magnificent art collections.
All 12 artworks in the Missing Masterpieces exhibition are available to The Frame users for free in the Art Store catalogue, and these priceless pieces can also be viewed online by anyone at: www.samsung.com/gr/explore/entertainment/missing-masterpieces-and-lost-art-on-the-frame.
The Missing Masterpieces exhibition will be live until February 10
