The driving forces behind worldwide change include invention and innovation. Our March 2025 conference took an expanded look at this type of ephemera.
During Ephemera 45, each presenter addressed a topic related to invention and innovation, relying heavily on tangible ephemera.
Ten presenters were featured over three days. Presentations: Explored the groundbreaking inventions that defined early photography and its transformative impact on art and society; Looked at how inventions often build on previous ideas, solving everyday problems or evolving as technology changes over time; Examed how advocates and opponents of birth control tailored their messages to diverse audiences in the early 20th century; Traced the engineering and design advances that shaped the evolution of amusement park rides and their cultural impact; Took a deep dive into how psychedelic art of the 1960s revolutionized graphic design and reflected the counterculture of the time; Examined how illustrators redefined visual storytelling to address social and cultural issues during a period of rapid change; and Discussed how ephemera collections provide insight into the innovation and evolution of American household design.
Below are the eight presentations that were filmed.
