Published:
Readtime: 5 min
Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here.
- The Layer Canvas is a dedicated digital art display, not a TV.
- Its unique square ratio intentionally prevents watching traditional widescreen movies or shows.
- The device uses a dedicated GPU to render live, code-based art.
- “Art Intelligence” uses environmental sensors to adjust the display in real-time.
- This exclusive Founder Edition is limited to 125 units at USD$22,000 each.
Most “art TVs” still feel like TVs that get a bit shy when you turn them off. The technology was popularised by Samsung’s Frame and LG’s Wallpaper TVs. They look great, but they’re built around the idea that art is something you switch to when the screen isn’t busy doing something else. Layer Canvas doesn’t play that game.
Designed to display digital art permanently in your home, Layer Canvas isn’t waiting for a streaming app to load. It’s not pretending to be anything other than what it is. This thing exists for art first, and it doesn’t really care if that makes things inconvenient. But honestly, you wouldn’t want this for anything else.
The first clue that this isn’t a basic TV is its shape. Layer is a big, square, 1:1 canvas wrapped in aluminium. No cinematic widescreen. No wallpaper-thin disappearing act. Just a solid object on the wall (or hanging from the ceiling) displaying art, and nothing else. That square ratio isn’t a stylistic flex either. It shuts the door on movies and TV from the get-go. Taking its place is a curation of generative digital art. Work that isn’t a still image or a looping video, but something that’s constantly changing, driven by code written by the artists (not restricted to NFTs). It’s the kind of art that would look flat or broken if you stretched it to a standard widescreen TV format.
Layer Canvas Key Specifications
- Dimensions: 41.7″ W, 41.7″ H, 2″ D (43.3″ with frame)
- Mounting: Wall mount and Ceiling mount
- Display: Ultra-resolution display, True black, P3 colour coverage, Dedicated GPU
- Sensors: Environmental light sensors and Bluetooth presence detection
On the software side, Layer utilises what it calls “Art Intelligence” to guide what appears and when, based on factors such as lighting, time of day, and activity in the room. However, you’re not locked out either, as the available companion app allows you to delve deeper, explore the artists, experiment with variations, or interact with the work.
It’s also worth clarifying what “digital art” actually means in this context. This isn’t AI image spam or animated wallpapers. Digital art has existed for decades, built by artists using code, systems, and computers as the medium. The work evolves over time, follows rules, and often never repeats itself. That’s what makes it interesting. It’s also what’s made it hard to sell, collect, or display properly.
NFTs briefly looked like the answer. Then speculation took over, and the scams rolled in before the whole thing collapsed, leaving most serious artists back where they started.
That frustration is what led Angelo Sotiracopoulos, the founder of DeviantArt, to create Layer.
“Digital artists are feeling pain,” said Sotiracopoulos. “AI is threatening craftsmanship as well as undermining fundamental copyright. After decades working alongside artists, I wanted to honour their work, bring it into people’s homes, and make sure they get paid.”
But even an art display needs to borrow some TV tech to make it all work. Inside, there’s a dedicated GPU doing real-time rendering, not just playing back files. Each piece can generate endless variations, and that’s why it costs so much. Launching at a price of USD$22,000, this is no casual living room upgrade. It might be cheaper than the massive flagship TVs currently available, but what you’re paying for is a purpose-built system with a completely different standard than a standard screen.
So, should Layer Canvas be on the purchase list? We’d say probably not, for most of us. And that’s not a knock. It’s just that anyone who is genuinely into art has likely already filled their walls, and since this isn’t trying to replace your TV, it needs its own space.
But that’s also the point. The Layer Canvas isn’t meant to be in every household like TVs. It’s built for the kind of home that treats walls as more than just a place to hang another screen. For everyone else, it’ll feel excessive. Layer Canvas is placed, not sold. Their words, not ours. Only 125 Founder Edition Canvases exist, and each request begins with a private consultation to discuss placement, installation, and fit within the home. For more information, please visit the brand’s website, linked below.
Comments
We love hearing from you. or to leave a comment.