Work | Amy Selwyn — Amy Selwyn

The work is organized into six ongoing projects.

Invisible Architectures asks participants to examine an archive of evidence from the career of a fictional artist—and decide for themselves what made her success possible.

Terms & Conditions examines the systems through which people are evaluated.

Objects of Measurement examines the objects, interfaces, and everyday artifacts through which we attempt to understand one another.

Taxonomy of Imagined Lives examines the stories we construct about ourselves and one another.

Simultaneous Translation examines the distance between what people think to say and what they ultimately do say.

Fate Unknown (An Archive of Expired Aspirations) presents 25 objects left behind but not thrown away.

INVISIBLE ARCHITECTURES

Bright art studio with a large window, white brick walls, art supplies, framed photographs, and artworks on display, with sunlight casting shadows on a wooden floor.

Interior view of a museum or gallery with a central staircase and multiple levels, bright natural light from a glass ceiling, classical architecture details, sculptures, and wall-mounted art pieces.

View Project →

TERMS & CONDITIONS

A photograph of an African-American bride and groom standing in a cotton field with the White House in the background during a cloudy day. The bride is in a white strapless wedding dress holding a bouquet, and the groom is in a black tuxedo with a white bow tie and a white flower boutonniere.

Museum wall label for 'Night Geometry' by Winnifred Wallace, 2017, gelatin silver print, and an adjacent display featuring information about the label, including type, date, and source.

Bodies Under Continuous Review

Black and white photograph of two identification cards. The left card features an older woman with long, wavy gray hair, glasses, and a serious expression. The right card features a young man with short dark hair, glasses, earrings, and a slight smile. The cards have text indicating positions such as Wilderness First Responder and Natural Team Player, along with other related descriptions.

Enter Archive →

Credibility Index

A credibility assessment report for a female individual named Case BW-56, age 56, of Black race, with an initial credibility score of -6, currently under review, and a final credibility status of low credibility counted as -8.

Enter Archive →

OBJECTS OF MEASUREMENT

Enter the archive →

TAXONOMY OF IMAGINED LIVES

Series I: She’s Got It in the Bag

A woman with curly gray hair and glasses holding a shopping bag labeled 'chico's' and smiling against a black background.

Enter the archive →

Series II: Interventions

A black-and-white photograph of a woman with long, curly hair wearing glasses, a black turtleneck sweater, black pants, and black shoes, standing indoors near a window with trees visible outside. The right side of the image has a text overlay that reads "Intervention. Replace monochromatic knitwear with an option that communicates warmth, openness, and social engagement," with a vivid pink, floral-patterned knitwear displayed beneath the text.

A black and white photo of a woman with curly hair, glasses, wearing a black turtleneck and black pants, sitting on a chair in a bright room with large windows. On the right side, there is a text about replacing a monochromatic wardrobe with a colorful palette, which includes a grid of various bright colors.

Black and white photo of a woman with curly gray hair, wearing glasses, a black turtleneck, loose black pants, black shoes, and a black shoulder bag, standing indoors near a window and white walls.

Enter the archive →

Series III: The Space You Deserve

Real estate ad for Mercer House listing, featuring a spacious modern living room with large windows overlooking Manhattan skyline, with details about the property, amenities, floor plan, neighborhood, and residence highlights.

Enter the archive →

SIMULTANEOUS TRANSLATION

Two white message boards with black text, one says "Not interested in that, thanks." and the other says "I'm crazy busy. Give me a couple of weeks!"

Two beige message boards with sliding panels, featuring text: Top board says 'That is a truly stupid idea,' and bottom board says 'That's interesting.'

Two white, rectangular mailboxes with slots and printed text. The top mailbox has a slot with the word 'No.' and a label 'WHAT I WANT TO SAY'. The bottom mailbox has a slot and the label 'WHAT I DO SAY' with text inside that reads 'Let's have a think about that.'

En ter the archive →

FATE UNKNOWN
(An Archive of Expired Aspirations)

Metal walker with black rubber handgrips and wheels, labeled from Portsmouth Regional Hospital, with a tag reading "Please Return".

Four beige coffee filters stacked on a white surface.

The Fate Unknown Bingo Cards

Fate Unknown Bingo

A new way to experience the Fate Unknown Collection.

Each card is different. Every object was abandoned. Every object was available.

Good luck.

Bingo card with various household items in each square, including a water-saving message, vinegar, cat tree, chili with beans, yellow vest, storage container, coffee filter, slow cooker, etc.

A bingo card with various household and entertainment items in each square, including a universal adapter, rice, artwork, air fryer cookbook, vinegar, cat tree, blanket, framed signs, pillows, pour-over coffee maker, dog food container, decorative star, tote bag, chili can, rubber bands, boots, book, headboard, Veet kit, slow cooker, yoga book, grocery bags, vases, and a walker.

A bingo card with various household items and supplies in each square, including a cat tree, a cookbook, a belt, a can of chili, a jar of spices, a tote bag, a star decoration, a set of dice, a basket of paper clips, glasses, vacuum filler, pillows, a slow cooker, a bottle of vinegar, a photo frame, a coffee dripper, boots, a yoga DVD, a headboard, a colorful blanket, shopping bags, a pet bed, a yellow toy, decorative signs, and a walker.

Enter the archive →