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.

Tower Cranes, Paris  - Tadashi Kawamata

The pyramids...to be seen to be believed - Jonathan Monk

den anonymen Tod ausstellen - Gregor Schneider

Aguapracasa - Gabriel Orozco

Ruderaltisch, 1994/95 Kunst am Bau - Projekt - Lois Weinberger

2 Architecture Towers - Robert Irwin

Unrealized project for Tate Gallery + ICA, 1969 - Gilbert and George

654 THINGS from The United States - Edward Ruscha

Social Resource Project For the Munich Olympics - Stephen Willats

Engel-Detektor - Jakob Gautel & Jason Karaïndros

Agency of Unrealised Projects
Logo by Liam Gillick
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Date
Title
Source
Description
Tags
W4407
25.05.2011
The Great Pyramid - Ingo Niermann
WWW
The Great Pyramid—a gradually growing tomb for potentially every human being in the world. Every stone in this pyramid could house the ashes of a deceased individual. It would grow, layer per layer, over decades and centuries. ...
The Great Pyramid—a gradually growing tomb for potentially every human being in the world. Every stone in this pyramid could house the ashes of a deceased individual. It would grow, layer per layer, over decades and centuries. ...
W5423
20.10.2012
Summerhouse - Tom Hollenback
WWW
Summerhouse ©Tom Hollenback, 2011 (Revised) This proposal is for the construction of a temporary outdoor installation during the winter months at a public park in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Tentatively titled Summerhouse, I envision the work as a small p ...
Summerhouse ©Tom Hollenback, 2011 (Revised) This proposal is for the construction of a temporary outdoor installation during the winter months at a public park in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Tentatively titled Summerhouse, I envision the work as a small p ...
W4468
25.05.2011
Bürger Schöpfung Ewigkeit  - Gabriele Juvan
WWW
Bürger Schöpfung Ewigkeit (i.e. Citizen Creation Eternity) is a site specific, temporary project conceived for ,Luisenburg‘ rock labyrinth (Felsenlabyrinth) next to the city of Wunsiedel on the German/Czech border: *Six eye-catching rocks on a loop tr ...
Bürger Schöpfung Ewigkeit (i.e. Citizen Creation Eternity) is a site specific, temporary project conceived for ,Luisenburg‘ rock labyrinth (Felsenlabyrinth) next to the city of Wunsiedel on the German/Czech border: *Six eye-catching rocks on a loop tr ...
U9926
01.01.1997
The Rosetta Garden - Gary Simmons
Unbuilt Roads
In collaboration with Brooklyn Technical High School and Andrea Claire The Rosetta Garden Proposal for a vacant lot, Fort Greene, Brooklyn Gary Simmons' proposal is both a reclamation of vacant land and the physical embodiment of philosophical pu ...
In collaboration with Brooklyn Technical High School and Andrea Claire The Rosetta Garden Proposal for a vacant lot, Fort Greene, Brooklyn Gary Simmons' proposal is both a reclamation of vacant land and the physical embodiment of philosophical pu ...
W4292
24.05.2011
Cross Pollination  - Anitra Hamilton
WWW
Anitra Hamilton 109 Niagara St. Box 21 Toronto, Ontario, M5V.1C3 Canada E anitra.hamilton@sympatico.ca P 416.504.5020 land P 647.408.4990 mobile Unrealized Project: Cross Pollination The project Cross Pollination consists of mounting Audio Par ...
Anitra Hamilton 109 Niagara St. Box 21 Toronto, Ontario, M5V.1C3 Canada E anitra.hamilton@sympatico.ca P 416.504.5020 land P 647.408.4990 mobile Unrealized Project: Cross Pollination The project Cross Pollination consists of mounting Audio Par ...
W4411
25.05.2011
PROJECT SUN RITE „GRAVITATION“ REAL LIFE  - Maria Dundakova
WWW
PROJECT SUN RITE „GRAVITATION“ REAL LIFE place of communication = city of transformation Contribution for the first international Land Art Generator Initiative (LAGI) design competition 2010, Abu Dhabi The project is an open-ended work, a WORK I ...
PROJECT SUN RITE „GRAVITATION“ REAL LIFE place of communication = city of transformation Contribution for the first international Land Art Generator Initiative (LAGI) design competition 2010, Abu Dhabi The project is an open-ended work, a WORK I ...
W4024
22.05.2011
'Theatre Pieces' (2006) - Celine Condorelli
WWW
I am sending you one of my favourite projects of all times, that didn't get made, didn't happen in the way it was intended, and was a total failure in the shape that it did happen. ...
I am sending you one of my favourite projects of all times, that didn't get made, didn't happen in the way it was intended, and was a total failure in the shape that it did happen. ...
W4486
25.05.2011
12 Swings In a Circle - Veronica Wilton
WWW
W4070
23.05.2011
Rebeka Bučinel
WWW
The leading idea is not to create only a new home for culture in Miren, but to create a multi-purpose central square. ...
The leading idea is not to create only a new home for culture in Miren, but to create a multi-purpose central square. ...
W3588
13.05.2011
Dulce Despertar - Soraya Marcano
WWW
Date started: February, 2010 Idea: El cafÈ como espacio creativo Definition: Cafe, CafÈ, CaffË a coffee house, a small restaurant selling coffee and sometimes other drinks or snack with a facility to consume them on the premises. A project ab ...
Date started: February, 2010 Idea: El cafÈ como espacio creativo Definition: Cafe, CafÈ, CaffË a coffee house, a small restaurant selling coffee and sometimes other drinks or snack with a facility to consume them on the premises. A project ab ...
W4459
25.05.2011
adrien tirtiaux
WWW
My first proposed project for an integrated artwork to a water sports centre near Tournai, Belgium. The site faces the last remaining shipyard in an area with a dense industrial past. ...
My first proposed project for an integrated artwork to a water sports centre near Tournai, Belgium. The site faces the last remaining shipyard in an area with a dense industrial past. ...
W4386
25.05.2011
MARTINEZ PETROPOULOS WHITE
WWW
THIS ISA NICE NEIGHBORHOOD - unrealized Moscone Center/Howard Street Project for a large scale urban public artwork selected thru competition by the Arts Commission of San Francisco. ...
THIS ISA NICE NEIGHBORHOOD - unrealized Moscone Center/Howard Street Project for a large scale urban public artwork selected thru competition by the Arts Commission of San Francisco. ...
W4655
25.05.2011
Lev/Life - Craig Leonard
WWW
Agency of Unrealized Projects Submission Lev/Life Craig Leonard Conceived sometime in 2008, Lev/Life is an unsubmitted proposal to the Toronto Sculpture Garden located in the city's business district. The project was to be a replica of Soviet realis ...
Agency of Unrealized Projects Submission Lev/Life Craig Leonard Conceived sometime in 2008, Lev/Life is an unsubmitted proposal to the Toronto Sculpture Garden located in the city's business district. The project was to be a replica of Soviet realis ...
W3985
21.05.2011
Pisco Ruivo
WWW
Pisco Ruivo is a group of creative researchers founded by Eduardo Leitão & Joana Pinho Neves. We embrace book as the primarily subject of our work. We use it has support for the creation and recreation of covers and we search in its words new narratives. ...
Pisco Ruivo is a group of creative researchers founded by Eduardo Leitão & Joana Pinho Neves. We embrace book as the primarily subject of our work. We use it has support for the creation and recreation of covers and we search in its words new narratives. ...
W4458
25.05.2011
Transfer of a palm tree - Rahel Hegnauer
WWW
Transfer of a palm tree (Paris, 2007) (Unrealised project idea developed after realisation of a temporary garden in Paris, 2006 / 07 by Rahel Hegnauer / www.rahelhegnauer.ch.) Summary of the project idea Transfer: Transfer of a palm tree - usually a dec ...
Transfer of a palm tree (Paris, 2007) (Unrealised project idea developed after realisation of a temporary garden in Paris, 2006 / 07 by Rahel Hegnauer / www.rahelhegnauer.ch.) Summary of the project idea Transfer: Transfer of a palm tree - usually a dec ...
W3476
11.05.2011
Works of Denisa Lehocká - Denisa Lehocka
WWW
Born 1971 in Trencin, SK, Lives and works in Bratislava, SK Works of Denisa Lehocká association, imagination, intuition, subconscioussness, shape, question-mark, vessel, plate, bowl, container, vase, bin, hoppit, pot, receptacle, utensil, dish, tray, ...
Born 1971 in Trencin, SK, Lives and works in Bratislava, SK Works of Denisa Lehocká association, imagination, intuition, subconscioussness, shape, question-mark, vessel, plate, bowl, container, vase, bin, hoppit, pot, receptacle, utensil, dish, tray, ...
W4097
23.05.2011
Hope to dwell in fear - Prapat Jiwarangsan
WWW
Hope to dwell in fear By Prapat Jiwarangsan My depressive mood, as my psychologist diagnosed, has stemmed from the attempt of my former artwork to heal my country’s social problems, some of which are unjust social classes and restrictions of freed ...
Hope to dwell in fear By Prapat Jiwarangsan My depressive mood, as my psychologist diagnosed, has stemmed from the attempt of my former artwork to heal my country’s social problems, some of which are unjust social classes and restrictions of freed ...
W3866
19.05.2011
LABOR OF OTHERS - Donald Shambroom
WWW
The Labor of Others' is a sculptural project that places itself in the whirlpool of intellectual property rights questions. In this series the acts of conceiving and fabricating the work of art are removed from me, the artist. I have utilized, or stole ...
The Labor of Others' is a sculptural project that places itself in the whirlpool of intellectual property rights questions. In this series the acts of conceiving and fabricating the work of art are removed from me, the artist. I have utilized, or stole ...
W4372
25.05.2011
Ren Jie
WWW
In Chinese tradition,touch the land with feet is very important to one's health and life. If you are far away from the natural land,the soil,the water,the grass,you will become uncomfortable and sick. But today,urbanization make more and more peopl ...
In Chinese tradition,touch the land with feet is very important to one's health and life. If you are far away from the natural land,the soil,the water,the grass,you will become uncomfortable and sick. But today,urbanization make more and more peopl ...
W3563
12.05.2011
natascha seideneck
WWW
This sculpture was proposed for a crime lab and addresses elements of visibility and invisibly of the building itself, similar to physical evidence uncovering unknown facts. ...
This sculpture was proposed for a crime lab and addresses elements of visibility and invisibly of the building itself, similar to physical evidence uncovering unknown facts. ...
W4461
25.05.2011
Camoufoliaged - Chrysanne Stathacos
WWW
Camoufoliaged In ecology, organisms avoid observation or detection by other organisms though camouflage, transparency, or mimicry. In the project Camoufoliaged, trees, and bushes near or within a museum setting are covered in various degrees of prin ...
Camoufoliaged In ecology, organisms avoid observation or detection by other organisms though camouflage, transparency, or mimicry. In the project Camoufoliaged, trees, and bushes near or within a museum setting are covered in various degrees of prin ...
W5375
19.10.2012
Trail Blazing Awesomeness: A submission to create an interactive hiking experience - K. Alex Johnson
WWW
A submission to create an interactive hiking experience ...
A submission to create an interactive hiking experience ...
W5206
03.10.2012
12 x 12 - Georgia Kotretsos
WWW
Originally submitted to the 12 x 12 Project Space at the MCA in Chicago in 2003/04. The submitted images are showing the model book made for the demonstrative needs of the project. The size of the model book is H 6 x W 4,5 x 1, 5 cm and it pops-up /unfol ...
Originally submitted to the 12 x 12 Project Space at the MCA in Chicago in 2003/04. The submitted images are showing the model book made for the demonstrative needs of the project. The size of the model book is H 6 x W 4,5 x 1, 5 cm and it pops-up /unfol ...
W4412
25.05.2011
The Room102 Collective  - Room102 (Eleni Frudaraki & Juan Caicedo)
WWW
The Room102 Collective is a recently formed art collective currently in the pursue of finding what bonds it together conceptually. In it take part at the moment: Eleni Froudaraki * 1984 in Crete, Greece. She studied painting and sculpture in Athens School ...
The Room102 Collective is a recently formed art collective currently in the pursue of finding what bonds it together conceptually. In it take part at the moment: Eleni Froudaraki * 1984 in Crete, Greece. She studied painting and sculpture in Athens School ...
W5469
21.10.2012
Mimicry - DAMIAN IORDANOV
WWW
Temporary Public Sculpture: Park Avenue Malls The Fund for Park Avenue and The City of New York’s Department of Parks and Recreation, Public Art Program The Park Avenue malls, on New York City’s upper eastside Mimicry unrealized project intend ...
Temporary Public Sculpture: Park Avenue Malls The Fund for Park Avenue and The City of New York’s Department of Parks and Recreation, Public Art Program The Park Avenue malls, on New York City’s upper eastside Mimicry unrealized project intend ...