Angelo Sotira, the force behind DeviantArt in his youth, is once again setting the stage for a major transformation in the digital art landscape.
This time, his focus is not on creating a virtual gallery, but on perfecting the physical showcase for digital masterpieces. Sotira’s latest creation is Layer, a high-end screen designed from the ground up to present digital artworks as beautifully and vividly as possible.
He believes that digital art deserves more than the standard monitor or living room television as its canvas. Layer is crafted to quietly blend into sophisticated surroundings while elevating the feeling of art on the wall. For context, integration of creative communities like Samsung’s The Frame might come to mind, but Layer heads in a distinctly different direction. Unlike familiar art TV displays, Layer is aimed at collectors and institutions willing to spend twenty two thousand dollars for the best viewing experience available.
Artists creating new works for Layer are not simply editing photos or looping videos. Many, like generative art pioneer Casey Reas, use code to bring ever-evolving algorithmic works alive. These pieces transform over time, powered by software written by the artists themselves.
The Tech Behind the Canvas
Running these dynamic visuals is far more demanding than showing static images. Sotira points out that every pixel moves according to live instructions from complex code, not from any compressed file or shortcut. The power under the hood allows for these intricate moving creations to run smoothly and at full fidelity, offering a fresh level of authenticity to code-based art.
Back in his DeviantArt days, Sotira came across plenty of pitches for digital art hardware. He remembers what made most of these products fall short. Layer is designed for effortless enjoyment: plug it in, let it curate new pieces, and never worry about constant maintenance or updates.
The experience is meant to be automatic and seamless. Once on your wall, Layer will handle the sequencing of artworks, so it becomes a living part of the space instead of another gadget needing constant attention.
Despite its niche and pricey proposition, Layer has managed to pique serious investor interest. The startup quietly secured five point seven million dollars from notable names in the venture world, including key players from Expa Ventures and Human Ventures, as well as leaders who bring clout from tech and creative industries.
Layer’s ambition extends even further than producing elegant hardware. When someone buys a Layer screen, they also gain access through a subscription to an exclusive library of digital works. The artists whose pieces grace the screens not only gain exposure but also earn royalties calculated based on how long their artwork appears in homes or galleries.
For Sotira, the mission is simple yet lofty: put artists first and let their creativity reach new heights on a platform built just for showcasing what they do best, echoing how future of digital art display continues to evolve.
