We tend to associate Polaroid with those charming square instant photos, right? But the history of this company is actually a hard-hitting business thriller involving billion-dollar corporate espionage, government secrets, and a tragic ending.

At the lecture, you will learn:
✔️ about the invention of instant photography and the founding of Polaroid, the evolution of its technologies, and the different generations of cameras;
✔️ how fundamental research in physics, chemistry and optics laid the foundation for one of the most advanced consumer technologies of its time;
✔️ why Steve Jobs called Edwin Land his hero and how the philosophy of Polaroid influenced Apple’s culture;
✔️ about the secret projects the company carried out for the Pentagon, and why instant cameras became an important tool of Stasi surveillance;
✔️ how Kodak stole Polaroid’s patents and how the most high-profile and expensive legal battle in the history of photography came to an end;
✔️ about the company’s business model, the history of its stock, and its competition with Fuji and Kodak;
✔️ why Andy Warhol never parted with his Polaroid camera, turning a commercial gadget into high art.

The lecture will also feature the “heroes of the day” — Polaroid cameras from different years, from the speaker’s personal collection. So by coming to the lecture, you can confidently tick the box: visited a hands-on museum.