A QR code (abbreviated from Quick Response code) is a type of matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code) designed to be read by smartphones. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background. The information encoded may be text, a URL, or other data. Created by Toyota subsidiary Denso Wave in 1994, the QR code is one of the most popular types of two-dimensional barcodes.  The use of QR codes is free of any license. Source: Wikipedia

"At the Museum of Photographic Arts in California several exhibits throughout the museum feature QR codes that, when scanned by a smart phone, resolve to online content. The content varies depending on who owns the code. Some link to online galleries or portfolios, while others link to fan pages on Facebook. Museum director, Deborah Klochko, likens this use of new technology to the time when photographic processes were first introduced back in 1839.

“There was an excitement about the importance of what photography could provide,” says Klochko. She is sure that history is repeating itself in the form of QR codes and other ways to express art.

The Internet is now an interactive melting pot and QR codes allow for artists to achieve much more exposure than ever before." See whole article by Jennifer Goula, Finding new ways to interact with art.

Another cool thing about QR codes is that they can be made into art themselves. Thye can be customized with graphics and even animated while still retaining their information. Artists are beginning to explore this medium. Here are some links to check out:

Create animations for your QR code

13 creative ways to use QR codes for marketing

http://qrarts.wordpress.com/

http://techcocktail.com/qr-codes-art-qr-arts-2010-05#.Tl_MfTsbdAg

http://creativesandbusiness.com/1406-qr-codes-for-artists-%E2%80%93-an-easy-entry-into-mobile-marketing/

QR Code design tips