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No Prior Art: Illustrations of Invention

September 14, 2024 to May 11, 2025

This new exhibition at Central Library's Getty Gallery and citywide program series explores the intersection of art, science, and invention. From historic artifacts to new contemporary artworks, this project features an eclectic range of stories that explore the nature of human creativity and celebrate the inventive spirit.

Inspired by and drawing from the Los Angeles Public Library's patent and intellectual property resources and how the library provides opportunities for active creation and invention, No Prior Art features the work of more than a dozen artists and inventors, many with ties to Los Angeles. The project includes work from Mixografia, a multigenerational art studio that invented and patented a unique three-dimensional printmaking process; Pippa Garner, a trans artist whose outrageous inventions act as an exploration of the body and a critique of consumerism; and KAOS Network, an Afrofuturistic innovation lab in Leimert Park founded by artist/filmmaker Ben Caldwell, among many others.

 



Upcoming Events


clay sculptures
January 23, 2025 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Come learn about the development of the technology that is ceramics from the Mesoamerican time period to today! Participants will create a...


no prior art logo
January 23, 2025 4:00 PM
What musical instruments can you make with the materials around you? Renowned musician and woodworker Rich Briggs transforms ordinary...


hand made mobile art
January 25, 2025 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Bring your artwork to life! Learn the basics of circuitry while you create unique and interactive artwork using motors. In this hands-on...


ceramics on a table
January 25, 2025 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Come learn about the development of the technology that is ceramics from the Mesoamerican time period to today! Participants will create a...


No Prior Art logo with artist, creatively mended shirt and tools
January 25, 2025 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Take a dive into the world of sustainable, unique mending. Transform one well loved (stained, ripped, etc.) item using techniques such...


diy hanging lamps and the artist wearing a yellow work short
January 28, 2025 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Embrace an inventor's mindset! Transform everyday objects into a unique hanging lamp. This class focuses on basic electronics and creative...


small clay figurines
January 30, 2025 4:00 PM
Come learn about the development of ceramics from the Mesoamerican time period to today! Participants will create a clay invention to take...


A hand holds a lit lightbulb with polygons floating out of it
February 11, 2025 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
 Learn to use the USPTO's patent database with our Patents Librarian. 


child using a power tool to drill a piece of wood
February 15, 2025 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Plan, design, and prototype! Learn to use woodworking tools and techniques to design and build a functional stool or chair. Working alone...


cyanotype examples
February 15, 2025 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Come learn how to make art using a sun printing process invented in the 1800s. This class will teach you how to use cyanotype paper to...



Southern California’s landmark arts event, PST ART, returns in September 2024 with more than 60 exhibitions from museums and other institutions across the region, all exploring the intersections of art and science, both past and present. Dozens of cultural, scientific, and community organizations will join the latest edition, PST ART: Art & Science Collide, with exhibitions on subjects ranging from ancient cosmologies to Indigenous sci-fi, and from environmental justice to artificial intelligence. Art & Science Collide will share groundbreaking research, create indelible experiences for the public, and generate new ways of understanding our complex world. PST ART is presented by Getty. For more information about PST ART: Art & Science Collide, please visit pst.art.


PST Art: Art & Science Collide, presented by Getty
Lemelson Foundation logo
National Endowment for the Arts logo
Library Foundation of Los Angeles Logo

This project would not be possible without the generous support of Debra and Norris Bishton, Hope and Stephen Heaney, and Abby Sher. Further support was provided by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the Peck Endowment for Cultural Programs, and the Steve and Judith Krantz Foundation.

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