Art of Invention – Invention of Art
United States Patent and Trademark Office Museum, Alexandria, VA
August 2007 – August 2008
This exhibition features 70 works of art that emerged from inventions, patents and trademarks and is arranged into two sections. The first section, "The Art of Invention," highlights works from inventors and artists who studied and drew inspiration from the world in their quest for beauty such as Eva Zeisel's prolific work in ceramics and Louis Comfort Tiffany's creations in brilliantly colored glass, seen in the Poinsettia lamp on loan from The Neustadt Collection of Tiffany Glass in New York City. The second section of the exhibit, "The Invention of Art," features innovations that have been of great significance to science or industry, but also have collateral value as art; the images taken from space by the Hubble Space Telescope, for example, are considered objects of beauty because of their color and composition.
U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office Jon Dudas notes, "The inventors and artists represented in this exhibit produced artistic treasures that also serve a practical purpose. Visitors may ask themselves, is it the art of invention or the invention of art? Either way, they will learn how the U.S. patent and trademark systems protect and encourage innovation, and they will learn about the men and women whose creativity has helped foster a strong, prosperous America."
