Electric Objects’ new EO2 display put cool internet art in my sad bedroom

I always judge a piece of art by whether I’d put it on my wall. Let me be clear: I cannot afford art, but when I go to museums, I like to picture the Picassos and Monets hanging around my dream house. A startup called Electric Objects knows people like me, who appreciate art, but can’t afford to buy real pieces. Also, the relatively new medium of digital art doesn’t lend itself to conventional art displays. It’s easier than ever to create, but finding ways to show that work off isn’t easy. Electric Objects thinks it has solved the problem. The company’s new EO2 art display aims to be the canvas and picture frame of the future.

Electric Objects launched its first-generation EO1 two years ago on Kickstarter. The EO2 hasn’t evolved much from that first iteration. It’s the same 21 x 12-inch Full HD screen as the original, but it’s now 50 percent thinner and comes with the option for customized frames. Also like the EO1, the display has a matte finish in an effort to make its screen less abrasive and more pleasing to the eye. This kind of worked, but I’ll get into that later. For now, the details.

The EO2 pairs with Electric Objects’ companion iOS / Android app over Wi-Fi to either display works from the company’s new subscription-based collection, known as Art Club, or pieces users upload to share with the public. You can also upload your own images, so in theory, nothing is stopping you from making the EO2 a glorified selfie picture frame, but I think that misses the point. The EO2 shows its worth when cool video art is pulled from Art Club. The display costs $299 and comes with a 30-day Art Club subscription, which can be renewed for $9.99 a month.

I tested the EO2 for about a week and found it to be an enjoyable experience, albeit one that hinges on a subscription service. For background, my bedroom and apartment were supposed to be temporary. I decorated my room with posters from college because I figured I’d move pretty quickly after getting to New York. In reality, I ended up living in this same bedroom for three years and don’t foresee myself leaving any time soon. I could literally die in this room, or turn 50 in here, whichever happens first.

You’d probably assume a decently cultured 19-year-old inhabits my bedroom if you saw it, and that’s fine. I tried to adultify the place with plants, but most of them died. That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy art, though. I actually do. I follow artists on Instagram, visit galleries, and daydream about the day I’m fiscally established enough to afford real art. The EO2 was designed for me. As the ideal clientele, I had high hopes for the EO2, and ultimately, I liked the display but think it’s best under specific conditions.

Of course I hung my EO2 up in my bedroom for selfish enjoyment. I wanted to wake up to art, go to bed to art, and change the pieces I displayed with my mood. I did all this. The Electric Objects app lets you set a sleep timer, so if done right, the frame should turn off as you’re going to sleep and turn on as you’re waking up. The functionality works, but I don’t think it’s in tune with how most people will likely use the frame, especially in a bedroom. I needed multiple timers. I wanted my EO2 on when I was getting ready in the morning, so from around 6:45AM to 7:30AM, as well as when I got home at night until I went to bed, around 8PM to 11PM. I would have loved for it to be off during the day, too. This wouldn’t have been such an issue if I could have turned the EO2 on and off through my app. Electric Objects says that functionality is coming, but for now, I had to stand up on my bed and manually turn the display off. This was a major pain.

Oh, and that screen is bright. The app let me put the display into auto-adjust mode, but I ended up keeping it locked to its lowest setting all day and night. One time I fell asleep with the display off and woke up immediately when it turned on because it was so bright. For as good as it looks, it’s still a display that emits bright, artificial light. I wish this didn’t have to be the case.

Installation was also a struggle. I drilled two holes in my wall because I was set on living the true EO2 experience. Miraculously, I found a drill and screwdriver in my apartment. I actually have no idea which of my roommates owns these dusty power tools but thanks guys! This project couldn’t have been done without you. The EO2’s box provided everything I needed to actually get the display up on the wall, but again, getting it up there took time. That said, I’m an extremely lazy person and do not use power tools. This might have been the first time I ever drilled into a wall, and now I might die with two holes in my bedroom wall because of this gadget. I could have displayed the EO2 on a stand, but that didn’t fit my bedroom vision. Also, let’s be real, it’s kind of weird to put a screen on a stand and display it on a shelf. Especially when that screen weighs 14 pounds and is 21 inches tall.

I didn’t use a custom frame with my EO2, but I’m sure a white one would have looked nice. Unfortunately, power cords are still a thing, and I’m not sure they’ll ever not be ugly. Maybe someone more dedicated and creative could figure out a way to work the EO2’s power cord into a room’s ambiance. A separate art display company, Acanvas, tried to solve this issue by making its power cord autonomous. It came off as creepy. Power cords truly are the worst necessary evil after taxes. The EO2’s didn’t bother me too much, but then again, I hang my posters with bright thumbtacks.

The art that Electric Objects commissioned for Art Club is truly gorgeous. I can’t publish the pieces, beyond what’s featured in my photos, but the Art Club library not only includes digital still art and videos, but also art from museums, like LACMA and The Getty. I was super excited to see Eyebodega, a Brooklyn-based design studio I follow on Instagram, as one of the commissioned groups. This epitomized the EO2 experience for me. I’ve followed Eyebodega for years and have even bought some of their cactus planters, but I’ve never been able to really display their work. The EO2 gave me that opportunity.

My app saved the pieces I displayed and allowed me to create art playlists. The art experience was perfect. I wouldn’t change a thing. I couldn’t get through all the pieces, and barely touched the user-contributed works because I was so focused on taking in all the commissioned pieces, but everything I saw was brilliant, and I’m sure there’s at least one piece that’ll appeal to you, if not hundreds.

Overall, I think the EO2 makes sense for a living room, especially if you like to host dinner parties. I could also envision it in an office or as a baller wedding gift. I would deeply consider buying one if I ever got my life together enough to opt into a new subscription service. Art Club is key to making the most of the EO2.

Electric Objects designed a gorgeous product, curated fantastic art, and is solely limited by the fact that screens are inherently unpleasant. It’s not the EO2’s fault that its light makes my eyes sad. I’ll just say that maybe you should wait to drill holes in your wall until you know you love your art display.