Unlike unrealized architectural projects, which are frequently exhibited and circulated, unrealized artworks tend to remain unnoticed or little known. But perhaps there is another form of artistic agency in the partial expression, the incomplete idea, the projection of a mere intention? Agency of Unrealized Projects (AUP) seeks to document and display these works. Whether censored, forgotten, postponed, impossible, or rejected, unrealized projects form a unique testament to the speculative power of non-action.

AUP follows the publication entitled “Unbuilt Roads: 107 Unrealized Projects,” collated by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Guy Tortosa after several years of international research conducted in the late 1990s. Twenty years later, the Agency of Unrealized Projects was formed in collaboration with Julieta Aranda and Anton Vidokle, and an open call for unrealized projects was issued for its first public exhibition at ArtBasel in 2011. The open call will continue until all unrealized art projects are compiled.

Monument with Rust - Gustav Metzger

Project tor the Veterans Administration Hospital--Bay Pines, Florida. - Robert Morris

Grand Concours International D'Architecture  - Sol Lewitt

Projekt für die Landschaft des Mont-de-Sene (Burgund) im Rahmen eines öffentlichen Auftrags des französischen Kultusministeriums - Markus Raetz

La Guerra De Los Simbolos - Victor Grippo

The insurer - Fabrice Hybert

"400" - Manfred Pernice

No title, as the project only reached proposal stage - Rikrit Tiravanija

Merci, Thank you, Danke: Les 2 sujets  - Thomas Hirschorn

Attitudine Diplomatica - Hermann Pitz

Agency of Unrealised Projects
Logo by Liam Gillick
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Date
Title
Source
Description
Tags
W3909
20.05.2011
Unrealised proposal for Saatchi New Sensations, 2009 - Petra Swais and Najda El-Amriti
WWW
Having worked for three years alongside one another, but never producing work collaboratively, we have come to realise the strong connection between our individual practices. The most prominent link between our works is the notion of manipulation. By mani ...
Having worked for three years alongside one another, but never producing work collaboratively, we have come to realise the strong connection between our individual practices. The most prominent link between our works is the notion of manipulation. By mani ...
W3633
14.05.2011
Le déclin du jour - Berger&Berger
WWW
Marché Couvert, Metz, France

 2010 City of Metz, France

 Structural Engineer : Bollinger + Grohmann (France) 

The advent of artificial light, which grew strongly during XXst century,
has gradually freed the man from the natural rhyt ...
Marché Couvert, Metz, France

 2010 City of Metz, France

 Structural Engineer : Bollinger + Grohmann (France) 

The advent of artificial light, which grew strongly during XXst century,
has gradually freed the man from the natural rhyt ...
W4356
25.05.2011
Sutton Scarsdale Hall, The pavilion of post-contemporary curating - Ben Allen
WWW
Sutton Scarsdale Hall, The pavilion of post-contemporary curating If the Sun and Moon Should Doubt/They’d immediately go out William Blake This proposal will be based around three successive phases of projects: infrastructural / experimental / in ...
Sutton Scarsdale Hall, The pavilion of post-contemporary curating If the Sun and Moon Should Doubt/They’d immediately go out William Blake This proposal will be based around three successive phases of projects: infrastructural / experimental / in ...
W3819
19.05.2011
raphaele cohen-bacry
WWW
This is an example of the 50 dolls I made between 2007 and 2010. I used ‘’ugly’’, standardized dolls made in China and was interested in turning them into unique ‘’hand-made’’ dolls with a lot of personality and character. Each measures 4X ...
This is an example of the 50 dolls I made between 2007 and 2010. I used ‘’ugly’’, standardized dolls made in China and was interested in turning them into unique ‘’hand-made’’ dolls with a lot of personality and character. Each measures 4X ...
W3552
12.05.2011
THE SECOND LIFE MARTYRS SHOW! - margherita isola
WWW
Thanks an experience of life at the Freedom Theatre of Jenin with the kids of the refugee camp, I decide to start this project about Palestinian people and their martyrs. The Second Life martyrs show!is an alternative utopia to the violence that people ...
Thanks an experience of life at the Freedom Theatre of Jenin with the kids of the refugee camp, I decide to start this project about Palestinian people and their martyrs. The Second Life martyrs show!is an alternative utopia to the violence that people ...
W4581
25.05.2011
Oasis Project Proposal  - Carrie Paterson
WWW
Image 1 Oasis Project Proposal circa 2002-2004 Drawings show a device for water collection, condensation, and purification connected by ‘stem’ to an underground storage tank, accessed via a tap that operates with a pressure pump to retrieve wate ...
Image 1 Oasis Project Proposal circa 2002-2004 Drawings show a device for water collection, condensation, and purification connected by ‘stem’ to an underground storage tank, accessed via a tap that operates with a pressure pump to retrieve wate ...
W5337
18.10.2012
how to recall what never happened
WWW
The idea stem from Lis’81 – The International Drawing Biennale of Lisbon, which was expected to take place at the National Gallery of Modern Art of Belém, but ended up consumed in a fire, during its installation, the only thing left is the catalogue. ...
The idea stem from Lis’81 – The International Drawing Biennale of Lisbon, which was expected to take place at the National Gallery of Modern Art of Belém, but ended up consumed in a fire, during its installation, the only thing left is the catalogue. ...
W3751
18.05.2011
A FIRED FIELD - HECTOR MAVRIDIS
WWW
The action of breaking and turning over earth with a plow always fascinated me, the clods of earth being the result of this action, a simple 'gesture' from a machine which nevertheless brings about a dramatic change to the landscape, an awesome ephemeral ...
The action of breaking and turning over earth with a plow always fascinated me, the clods of earth being the result of this action, a simple 'gesture' from a machine which nevertheless brings about a dramatic change to the landscape, an awesome ephemeral ...
W5401
20.10.2012
Sculpture in a park - Alexandros Kaklamanos
WWW
Abstract of the Project Proposal Sculpture in a park During 2010-2011, a thorough research is conducted on the vortex. Now, a need is emerged to create a sculpture that will produce the vortex in a natural way, without using any electro mechanical assi ...
Abstract of the Project Proposal Sculpture in a park During 2010-2011, a thorough research is conducted on the vortex. Now, a need is emerged to create a sculpture that will produce the vortex in a natural way, without using any electro mechanical assi ...
W3856
19.05.2011
THE SISTER COMPLEX - Jacob Stewart-Halevy
WWW
The Sister Complex is a film script written for captive audiences on Virgin America flights from Los Angeles to San Francisco. The forty minute length of the film is meant to correspond to the amount of time a traveler would have to watch their personal s ...
The Sister Complex is a film script written for captive audiences on Virgin America flights from Los Angeles to San Francisco. The forty minute length of the film is meant to correspond to the amount of time a traveler would have to watch their personal s ...
W4637
25.05.2011
Tesseract - Darr Tah Lei
WWW
Inside a Tesseract is a project for a polyptych of six installations placed inside the structure of an imaginary folding/unfolding cube. The content of the six installations will correlate to each other organically, by the composition of essential element ...
Inside a Tesseract is a project for a polyptych of six installations placed inside the structure of an imaginary folding/unfolding cube. The content of the six installations will correlate to each other organically, by the composition of essential element ...
W4914
14.08.2012
Possible Areas of Joint Action - Alec Steadman
WWW
The Experimental Art Action group present: Possible Areas of Joint Action A “Due to an electrical fault at the enlightenment gallery…” production 01/01/2013 - 01/01/2014 For the period of 1 year, beginning at midnight on the 01/01/2013 and e ...
The Experimental Art Action group present: Possible Areas of Joint Action A “Due to an electrical fault at the enlightenment gallery…” production 01/01/2013 - 01/01/2014 For the period of 1 year, beginning at midnight on the 01/01/2013 and e ...
W4560
25.05.2011
The Reentry Project: Artificial Meteor Storms as Public Art  - Bill Dolson
WWW
Bill Dolson The Reentry Project: Artificial Meteor Storms as Public Art "Why is there no art in space, why do we have no exhibitions in the sky? Up to now we have left it up to war to light up the sky..." Otto Piene 1961 Reentry is a series of p ...
Bill Dolson The Reentry Project: Artificial Meteor Storms as Public Art "Why is there no art in space, why do we have no exhibitions in the sky? Up to now we have left it up to war to light up the sky..." Otto Piene 1961 Reentry is a series of p ...
W10583
18.06.2014
Downriver - Jonathan Parsons
WWW
proposal for the 2010 Spitalfields Sculpture Prize Downriver further develops my established practice of making ‘dissected’ map sculptures. Previously, I have taken actual source maps and cut away everything from them except one particular visual e ...
proposal for the 2010 Spitalfields Sculpture Prize Downriver further develops my established practice of making ‘dissected’ map sculptures. Previously, I have taken actual source maps and cut away everything from them except one particular visual e ...
W4432
25.05.2011
Name just add artist
WWW
Name: just add artist Numero 0 – Patrick Tuttofuoco Project of a collection of books 2003 Concept and editorial direction: Chiara Parisi Art Direction: Paola Manfrin Copywriting: Dario Villa This project unrealized of a collection of books in ...
Name: just add artist Numero 0 – Patrick Tuttofuoco Project of a collection of books 2003 Concept and editorial direction: Chiara Parisi Art Direction: Paola Manfrin Copywriting: Dario Villa This project unrealized of a collection of books in ...
W4084
23.05.2011
"After the Council"  - Hunter/Lassal
WWW
"After the Council" (2006) is a playful reflection upon power and adornment on one level, as well as resources and recycling on another. ...
"After the Council" (2006) is a playful reflection upon power and adornment on one level, as well as resources and recycling on another. ...
W4160
23.05.2011
Absolut Hypocrisy II - simon tyszko
WWW
Absolut Hypocrisy II reference: Notes further to a number of meetings at both the Bolivian and Venezuelan embassies in London Dearest Zuleiva (cultural attaché Venezuela, London) The projects i am proposing are to be a high profile individual ...
Absolut Hypocrisy II reference: Notes further to a number of meetings at both the Bolivian and Venezuelan embassies in London Dearest Zuleiva (cultural attaché Venezuela, London) The projects i am proposing are to be a high profile individual ...
W3481
11.05.2011
Experiments In Organza - Helen Maher
WWW
Press release. Helen maher. ‘Experiments In Organza’ Textile Sculptor, living & working in London. Current project, ‘Experiments in Organza’, investigates the interaction between Primary Elements- Solids, Liquids & Gases & Secondary Elem ...
Press release. Helen maher. ‘Experiments In Organza’ Textile Sculptor, living & working in London. Current project, ‘Experiments in Organza’, investigates the interaction between Primary Elements- Solids, Liquids & Gases & Secondary Elem ...
W3585
13.05.2011
‘The Irlam House Bequest’ - David Jacques
WWW
Irlam House is a sixteen story tower block in Bootle, Merseyside. Sometime in the late 1980’s the resident Caretaker came into possession of a substantial collection of drawings. The drawings came to our attention when he recently brought one study to t ...
Irlam House is a sixteen story tower block in Bootle, Merseyside. Sometime in the late 1980’s the resident Caretaker came into possession of a substantial collection of drawings. The drawings came to our attention when he recently brought one study to t ...
W10927
20.06.2015
If all the waves can be saved - Yifei He
WWW
One room, one chair with endless waves. I want to put waves into one space, it will end at the middle of the space, put one chair towards the waves . People can not step twice into the same river, and people also can not meet the very same two waves. ...
One room, one chair with endless waves. I want to put waves into one space, it will end at the middle of the space, put one chair towards the waves . People can not step twice into the same river, and people also can not meet the very same two waves. ...
W3959
20.05.2011
Wall - Jeanne Friscia
WWW
"Wall" is a text-based installation of each of George Bush's State of the Union Addresses alphabetized and shown in consecutive order. The project is unfinished because I have only printed one of the speeches and have not found a venue interested. In ...
"Wall" is a text-based installation of each of George Bush's State of the Union Addresses alphabetized and shown in consecutive order. The project is unfinished because I have only printed one of the speeches and have not found a venue interested. In ...
W4272
24.05.2011
Kristin Jones / Andrew Ginzel
WWW
Proposals for Hudson River Park New York 1997 ...
Proposals for Hudson River Park New York 1997 ...
W5367
19.10.2012
STATIC REVOLVER - Jessie Stead
WWW
Known for bad food but impressive panoramas, hundreds of revolving restaurants rotate imperceptibly on oversized turntables high above cities worldwide. This unrealized project is an experimental motion picture. ...
Known for bad food but impressive panoramas, hundreds of revolving restaurants rotate imperceptibly on oversized turntables high above cities worldwide. This unrealized project is an experimental motion picture. ...
D10785
01.01.2013
TO BUY A CAR AND DROP IT IN THE OCEAN IN THE MIDDLE OF A FULLMOON NIGHT - Bruzzone
DAAD
TO BUY A CAR AND DROP IT IN THE OCEAN IN THE MIDDLE OF A FULLMOON NIGHT ...
TO BUY A CAR AND DROP IT IN THE OCEAN IN THE MIDDLE OF A FULLMOON NIGHT ...
W4107
23.05.2011
Warning (Potters Bar) - Victoria Halford and Steve Beard
WWW
An unrealisable proposal for a public sculpture Intention Warning ( Potters Bar) is a proposal to reconstruct an emblematic moment from a train derailment which occurred in England in 2002. The life-size sculpture would consist of a wrecked train carr ...
An unrealisable proposal for a public sculpture Intention Warning ( Potters Bar) is a proposal to reconstruct an emblematic moment from a train derailment which occurred in England in 2002. The life-size sculpture would consist of a wrecked train carr ...
W5162
25.09.2012
Heather Lewis
WWW
An installation that mimics the rising and setting of the sun, condensed to perhaps 5 minutes – a lamp moving in a 30 ft arc (15 ft radius). It shows the effects of variable light and therefore shadows, on various objects and situations. ...
An installation that mimics the rising and setting of the sun, condensed to perhaps 5 minutes – a lamp moving in a 30 ft arc (15 ft radius). It shows the effects of variable light and therefore shadows, on various objects and situations. ...