What happens to the economy when it is thought up, invented and dreamed up by artists? It is little known, but many artists, from the end of the 19th century to the present day, have become economists, even going so far as to write treatises whose stated ambition was to renew the discipline from top to bottom.

Whether they were trained in economics at university, built their theoretical conception of art in dialogue with economists, or developed a theoretical system in their own right, these artists provide us with a rich and singular vision, both of the economic thought of their time and of current issues. Value, work, money and capitalism – these are all themes examined and revisited by these texts, which this book aims to anthologise.