Spencer Silver

Why this artist matters now

Spencer Silver was an American chemist and inventor whose discovery of a low-tack adhesive in 1968 became the foundational material for Post-it Notes. Working at 3M's research laboratories, Silver developed an acrylic polymer whose reversible adhesive properties defied conventional expectations of what an adhesive could do. Though initially without commercial application, his invention fundamentally altered both office infrastructure and the visual culture of information management. Silver's work exemplifies the contingency of material innovation in the postwar period, where laboratory experimentation yielded everyday objects with lasting cultural reach.

Source: Moma Bulk 2026 05 04 · Trust score: 92% · Updated 1mo ago