Archive / Useful Art works

Nr. 032 / 1969 / US

Useful Art works


Initiator(s)

Eduardo Costa

Description

The project was part of Streets Works, an event organised by a group of artists and poets in New York City. The artist in collaboration with Scott Burton, proposed that art would have a direct social impact and utility by improving city living conditions. His first Useful Art work consisted of buying metal street signs and placing them on the streets of New York, where they were missing. His second, consisted of painting a subway station on the Flushing line; Costa was prevented from finishing this work.

Location

US

Goals

These art works were intended to attack the myth of the lack of utility in the arts, while being themselves a modest contribution to the improvement of city living conditions.

Beneficial outcomes

Improvement of city living conditions.

Maintained by

Eduardo Costa

Users

Artists, Scott Burton.