A collection of actual patents for wonderfully bizarre inventions; a true celebration of human ingenuity in all its (occasionally) pointless glory. A magnetic hairpiece (with magnets implanted in one’s scalp to secure it in place), the necktie with a concealed pocket for carrying condoms, a mechanical hand to pat your baby to sleep, a doll figurine in which parents can proudly display their child’s teeth and hair...these are just some of the barmy inventions to be found in the archive at the US Patent’s Office, lovingly unearthed and curated by Mark Tanner. Ranging from the baffling and bizarre to the sinister and the *so close* to genius, Brilliantly Bad is a salute to what human ingenuity can create, with just a stroke of genius — and perhaps a few sips of the Kool Aid.