No Prior Art | Los Angeles Public Library

On view September 14, 2024 to May 11, 2025
Central Library, Getty Gallery

This 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.

two people stand in front of small futuristic car

Detours Through the Museum of Invented Los Angeles

Imagine a museum devoted to the history of Los Angeles, told through the lens of local inventions. Julia Tcharfas was commissioned to write this special piece as part of the No Prior Art project.

Exhibition List

The No Prior Art exhibition at Central Library’s Getty Gallery showcased a wide variety of stories at the intersection of art, science, and invention. View the list of exhibits displayed.

Pro Bono Legal Assistance for Independent Inventors

Patent Lawyers in the Library is a program offered by the Los Angeles Public Library that aims to provide all types of inventors with patent legal guidance through a confidential consultation with a patent lawyer.

Photo collage of past invention ideas and creative art ideas

No Failure of the Imagination: Stumbling Blocks and Stepping Stones on the Road to Invention

Next year, the Library Foundation of Los Angeles and the L.A. Public Library will unveil a new project titled No Prior Art. This exhibition and programming series is part of the Getty Foundation's…

Date: August 11, 2023
Guest Blogger

No Prior Art: In Conversation With a Patents Librarian

As part of the Getty’s Pacific Standard Time series, the Library Foundation of Los Angeles & L.A. Public Library are developing a new project, titled No Prior Art, to open in 2024. The theme for this…

Date: November 9, 2021
Guest Blogger

A Chat With Artist Ellen Harvey

Conceptual British-American artist Ellen Harvey has been commissioned to create an installation for the Los Angeles Public Library/Library Foundation of Los Angeles’ upcoming exhibition, No Prior Art…

Date: July 26, 2024
Ani Boyadjian

The Utopia Machine

Through a commissioned body of work, artist Ellen Harvey invites you to be a part of the No Prior Art exhibition by responding to the question: What would make our world into a utopia? Selected suggestions will inspire Harvey's fictional patent drawings, which will combine to form a larger artwork called The Utopia Machine.

Utopia Machine