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.

Square Depression - Bruce Nauman

Brücke Wein-Kanal Arch. Hermann Czech, Wein - Franz West

Museum - Katharina Fritsch

Uncompleted 1966 - and on  - John Armleder

Aguapracasa - Gabriel Orozco

Visual Poem: Cap I Cua - Joan Brossa

Monument to Democracy - Kounellis

Isometric Projection - Sol Lewitt

Electronic Theater - Laurie Anderson

WATERWORKS - Mona Hatoum

Agency of Unrealised Projects
Logo by Liam Gillick
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Date
Title
Source
Description
Tags
W4218
24.05.2011
Costa Vece
WWW
Egregio Signor Costa Vece, come annunciatole, le comunico qui di seguito le ragioni che ci hanno indotto a rinunciare all’affissione della sua opera sulla torretta dell’Istituto e a proporle, in alternativa, altri spazi all’interno o nel parco ...
Egregio Signor Costa Vece, come annunciatole, le comunico qui di seguito le ragioni che ci hanno indotto a rinunciare all’affissione della sua opera sulla torretta dell’Istituto e a proporle, in alternativa, altri spazi all’interno o nel parco ...
W5030
31.08.2012
Spectral Horse - Mags Harries & Lajos Heder
WWW
Mags Harries & Lajos Héder Spectral Horse Location: Spectacle Island, Boston Harbor, MA (Proposal 2006) Size: 400’ x 250’ Materials: Lighting and light reflective materials Description: Spectacle Island lies in a very prominent position in Bost ...
Mags Harries & Lajos Héder Spectral Horse Location: Spectacle Island, Boston Harbor, MA (Proposal 2006) Size: 400’ x 250’ Materials: Lighting and light reflective materials Description: Spectacle Island lies in a very prominent position in Bost ...
W3493
11.05.2011
SEX CHAT KARAOKE - Sally-Ann Blaise
WWW
SEX CHAT KARAOKE A Selection of TEXT collected by artist through late night sex chat rooms is printed in duplicate and arranged at the corner of a stage, upon which a small FUNK BAND is playing a GROOVE. audience participate by selecting text in tandem ...
SEX CHAT KARAOKE A Selection of TEXT collected by artist through late night sex chat rooms is printed in duplicate and arranged at the corner of a stage, upon which a small FUNK BAND is playing a GROOVE. audience participate by selecting text in tandem ...
W5280
15.10.2012
Hypermoi - David Guez
WWW
THE HYPERMOI David Guez http://www.guez.org Introduction The Hypermoi sets the hypothesis of the existence of a 'numerical ego' linked up to the internet network. This special ego would be a construction linked to our more and more 'emotional' and 'intens ...
THE HYPERMOI David Guez http://www.guez.org Introduction The Hypermoi sets the hypothesis of the existence of a 'numerical ego' linked up to the internet network. This special ego would be a construction linked to our more and more 'emotional' and 'intens ...
W4827
07.08.2012
10 metal right angles and 3 pieces of wood - Jerstin Crosby
WWW
10 metal right angles and 3 pieces of wood Size Variable (Temporary modular public art piece that may be rearranged into any variable form by anyone.) 2001 All that remains of this unrealized modular public art concept are a few wrinkled Xerox co ...
10 metal right angles and 3 pieces of wood Size Variable (Temporary modular public art piece that may be rearranged into any variable form by anyone.) 2001 All that remains of this unrealized modular public art concept are a few wrinkled Xerox co ...
W3625
14.05.2011
Radical Artist Workshop (RAW) - Radical Artist Workshop
WWW
Conceived in 2007, Radical Artist Workshop (RAW) is a blog of proposed projects and fictitious/real testimonials that question notions of radicality in contemporary art. ...
Conceived in 2007, Radical Artist Workshop (RAW) is a blog of proposed projects and fictitious/real testimonials that question notions of radicality in contemporary art. ...
W4156
23.05.2011
Craig Havens
WWW
From August 2009 to January 2010, I employed the spirit of Elvis Presely as the PR Director of a Limited Liability Company which I created to represent my groin to those people who were no longer welcome in my life. ...
From August 2009 to January 2010, I employed the spirit of Elvis Presely as the PR Director of a Limited Liability Company which I created to represent my groin to those people who were no longer welcome in my life. ...
W10475
27.04.2014
Archive of Forgotten Ideas - Cecilia Guida and 42 contributors
WWW
Sometimes we have ideas that we like but for rational, emotional or practical reasons we think they won’t work out or we aren’t able to develop them at that moment. Consequently we keep them apart, “hide” them somewhere in a peripheral and little ...
Sometimes we have ideas that we like but for rational, emotional or practical reasons we think they won’t work out or we aren’t able to develop them at that moment. Consequently we keep them apart, “hide” them somewhere in a peripheral and little ...
W3796
18.05.2011
melissa day
WWW
Oil paintings varing sizes from 2 1/2 X 3 1/2 feet Experimenting with deliberate and accidental use of paint. Pouring paint allows a natural fluid style to occur .Then going back in these shapes and contain or control these ambiguous shapes... ...
Oil paintings varing sizes from 2 1/2 X 3 1/2 feet Experimenting with deliberate and accidental use of paint. Pouring paint allows a natural fluid style to occur .Then going back in these shapes and contain or control these ambiguous shapes... ...
U9706
01.01.1989
The insurer - Fabrice Hybert
Unbuilt Roads
Monsieur l'Abbe Pierre, il y a sans doute d'autres points que je n'ai pas imagines mais une conversation permettrait sans doute d'apporter des rectifications. Je sollicite votre bienveillance et votre engagement pour pouvoir m'autoriser a vous rencontr ...
Monsieur l'Abbe Pierre, il y a sans doute d'autres points que je n'ai pas imagines mais une conversation permettrait sans doute d'apporter des rectifications. Je sollicite votre bienveillance et votre engagement pour pouvoir m'autoriser a vous rencontr ...
W3895
20.05.2011
Editorial Sculpture: Divina Commedia  - Javier Toro Blum
WWW
The Divina Commedia triptych is a sculpture project, consisting in three ovoid metal cast pieces. Each piece has engraved in low relief (1.5mm) one part of the Dante Alighieri's Divina Commedia: Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso. With a 2.5mm typography ev ...
The Divina Commedia triptych is a sculpture project, consisting in three ovoid metal cast pieces. Each piece has engraved in low relief (1.5mm) one part of the Dante Alighieri's Divina Commedia: Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso. With a 2.5mm typography ev ...
W5071
05.09.2012
Daily Range - Matan Ashkenazy
WWW
DAILY RANGE. MATAN ASHKENAZY This body of work includes colour photographs done in Israel with an 8x10 plate camera between 2009-2012. The images deal with confined space within the natural environment aesthetically, politically and construct wise. A ...
DAILY RANGE. MATAN ASHKENAZY This body of work includes colour photographs done in Israel with an 8x10 plate camera between 2009-2012. The images deal with confined space within the natural environment aesthetically, politically and construct wise. A ...
W10278
01.01.2010
The Saffron Dome - Gabriella Ciancimino
WWW
“The Saffron Dome” is a project created in 2010 for a sculptural work recalling classical pavilions, made of materials that remind of industrial sheds, surmounted by domes in which it is possible to grow typical aromatic plants of the place where the ...
“The Saffron Dome” is a project created in 2010 for a sculptural work recalling classical pavilions, made of materials that remind of industrial sheds, surmounted by domes in which it is possible to grow typical aromatic plants of the place where the ...
W3816
19.05.2011
Pittsburgh Passion Project, (Mistaken ID) - Ayanah Moor
WWW
The Pittsburgh Passion Project (2008-2009) probed the relationship between gender identity and sports practices through contemporary performance. In the American imagination, the contours of helmet, football pads, and protective gear have historically ...
The Pittsburgh Passion Project (2008-2009) probed the relationship between gender identity and sports practices through contemporary performance. In the American imagination, the contours of helmet, football pads, and protective gear have historically ...
W4108
23.05.2011
Ground Control  - Rachel Jenman
WWW
As Fine Artists Diccon Spain and I worked on this proposal to re design a pedestrian subway in Kent. This subway design embraced natural light and changed the feeling of the entire space in a way not done before. The subway provided a walking entrance t ...
As Fine Artists Diccon Spain and I worked on this proposal to re design a pedestrian subway in Kent. This subway design embraced natural light and changed the feeling of the entire space in a way not done before. The subway provided a walking entrance t ...
U9807
01.01.1997
Cruzeiro Do Sul, (Southern Cross) (Crucero del Sur) 1969-70* - Cildo Meireles
Unbuilt Roads
A cube with a side measurement of 9 mm, consisting of two transverse sections: one of pine and the other of oak, trees that represented mythical beings in the cosmology of the Tupi Indians, beings whose correlation (mistakenly interpreted by the Jesuits a ...
A cube with a side measurement of 9 mm, consisting of two transverse sections: one of pine and the other of oak, trees that represented mythical beings in the cosmology of the Tupi Indians, beings whose correlation (mistakenly interpreted by the Jesuits a ...
W4379
25.05.2011
“Shifting Images of Marseille”  - Srinivas Mangipudi
WWW
Project Proposal: “Shifting Images of Marseille” The urban city areas are often filled with cars and vehicles of all kinds parked in different places, like parking lots, on the streets, or just moving on the road. These can be turned into dynamic ...
Project Proposal: “Shifting Images of Marseille” The urban city areas are often filled with cars and vehicles of all kinds parked in different places, like parking lots, on the streets, or just moving on the road. These can be turned into dynamic ...
W4794
14.06.2011
The Biggest Painting - Joost van Oss
WWW
The biggest painting. ...
W3478
11.05.2011
Tur Dearg (Red Tower) - Joaquin Gasgonia Palencia
WWW
Like many boys, I grew up on kings and queens, knights and castles. There is always a horse to ride, a dragon to slay, a princess to save from the evil baron, and yes, there is always the magic of the druids and the sorcerers. Despite everything that Ir ...
Like many boys, I grew up on kings and queens, knights and castles. There is always a horse to ride, a dragon to slay, a princess to save from the evil baron, and yes, there is always the magic of the druids and the sorcerers. Despite everything that Ir ...
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. ...
W5199
03.10.2012
Social Walls - David Averbuch
WWW
Social Walls™ A Proposal for an Environmental Sculpture 25 November 2013 David Averbuch This proposed artwork has just four walls in a square shape, yet it represents a new idea. Each wall will be divided into small equal areas, henceforth calle ...
Social Walls™ A Proposal for an Environmental Sculpture 25 November 2013 David Averbuch This proposed artwork has just four walls in a square shape, yet it represents a new idea. Each wall will be divided into small equal areas, henceforth calle ...
U9793
01.01.1997
Isometric Projection - Sol Lewitt
Unbuilt Roads
W5138
21.09.2012
Good Vibrations - Carlo Crovato
WWW
To illuminate the dark space beneath hoch-bahn bridges using Off the Grid techniques. Project title Good Vibrations. there will be moving illumination on underside of U-Bahn bridges as train passes overhead. 1 17 June 2011 Carlo Crovato Berli ...
To illuminate the dark space beneath hoch-bahn bridges using Off the Grid techniques. Project title Good Vibrations. there will be moving illumination on underside of U-Bahn bridges as train passes overhead. 1 17 June 2011 Carlo Crovato Berli ...
W5420
20.10.2012
“These things I do, and shall do, if I can, are no longer, or are not yet, or never were, or never will be, or if they were, if they are, if they will be, were not here, are not here, will not be here, but elsewhere”. - Alessandro Laita
WWW
TITLE “These things I do, and shall do, if I can, are no longer, or are not yet, or never were, or never will be, or if they were, if they are, if they will be, were not here, are not here, will not be here, but elsewhere”. DESCRIPTION The who ...
TITLE “These things I do, and shall do, if I can, are no longer, or are not yet, or never were, or never will be, or if they were, if they are, if they will be, were not here, are not here, will not be here, but elsewhere”. DESCRIPTION The who ...
W4203
24.05.2011
Wendy Shaw
WWW
W3707
17.05.2011
Murat Germen
WWW
Photography is a powerful two dimensional representation tool to document three dimensional volumes like architecture. It is possible to manipulate photos with two dimensional tools like Photoshop in order to suggest new three dimensional re/formations an ...
Photography is a powerful two dimensional representation tool to document three dimensional volumes like architecture. It is possible to manipulate photos with two dimensional tools like Photoshop in order to suggest new three dimensional re/formations an ...