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.

City Hall Tower Night Ilumination - Krysztof Wodiczko

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

Museum - Katharina Fritsch

Visual Poem: Cap I Cua - Joan Brossa

A House of Dust - Alison Knowles

Chen H.V.O + G.T. - Bertrand Lavier

Arrangement Stroom HCBK Den Haag - Ange Leccia

Prima del 73 - Fabio Mauri

Project for the Initiative Mahnmal Homosexuellenverfolgung, Frankfurt  - Jeff Wall

Invitation Space No.1 - Tania Mouraud

Agency of Unrealised Projects
Logo by Liam Gillick
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Date
Title
Source
Description
Tags
W4661
25.05.2011
"Panic Eternal" - David Hanes
WWW
"Panic Eternal", Single Channel Video Projection Loop, 16:00, 2011 Panic Eternal is a projection artwork that plays with both the emotional and visual stimuli of a viewer in its emphasizing of slapstick found in cinematic parody. Using found footage (f ...
"Panic Eternal", Single Channel Video Projection Loop, 16:00, 2011 Panic Eternal is a projection artwork that plays with both the emotional and visual stimuli of a viewer in its emphasizing of slapstick found in cinematic parody. Using found footage (f ...
W10612
03.07.2014
On cherche à la lumière ce que l'on a perdu dans le noir - Nadine Lère
WWW
Mon projet est de construire et d’installer un dispositif éclairant, une source de lumière propre à voir. Le dispositif, un espace pénétrable, prend la fonction de point d’attraction, comme un phare. Il se veut être un point de repère, de rasse ...
Mon projet est de construire et d’installer un dispositif éclairant, une source de lumière propre à voir. Le dispositif, un espace pénétrable, prend la fonction de point d’attraction, comme un phare. Il se veut être un point de repère, de rasse ...
W4622
25.05.2011
THE STAR OF MIAMI - Roberto Behar & Rosario Marquardt / R & R Studios
WWW
THE STAR OF MIAMI WATERMARK & PUBLIC PARK The origin of The Star of Miami is in the sky, the idea of hope and the world of tomorrow. Like a cardinal star that unites North, South, East and West, the northern star that guides sailors to new lands and a ...
THE STAR OF MIAMI WATERMARK & PUBLIC PARK The origin of The Star of Miami is in the sky, the idea of hope and the world of tomorrow. Like a cardinal star that unites North, South, East and West, the northern star that guides sailors to new lands and a ...
W4193
24.05.2011
Matthew Mitchell
WWW
1992-93 unrealized site specific installation of a New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority map into a New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority subway train car. ...
1992-93 unrealized site specific installation of a New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority map into a New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority subway train car. ...
W3579
13.05.2011
Nyela Saeed
WWW
I was born in Mumbai and received my Bachelor’s in Fine Arts from Sir J.J School of Art, Mumbai in 2004 and Post Baccalaureate Diploma from Pont Aven School of Art, Brittany, France in 2006. My last solo show titled ‘Impositions’ was held in Switzer ...
I was born in Mumbai and received my Bachelor’s in Fine Arts from Sir J.J School of Art, Mumbai in 2004 and Post Baccalaureate Diploma from Pont Aven School of Art, Brittany, France in 2006. My last solo show titled ‘Impositions’ was held in Switzer ...
W3647
15.05.2011
World Atlas - ANNA LASCARI
WWW
“World Atlas” is a visual depiction of worldwide hunger. It is a monument to all the people whose lives are in stake due to hunger, whether it is a child that dies every five seconds from hunger related causes, or those in the West who search dumpster ...
“World Atlas” is a visual depiction of worldwide hunger. It is a monument to all the people whose lives are in stake due to hunger, whether it is a child that dies every five seconds from hunger related causes, or those in the West who search dumpster ...
W5220
07.10.2012
Return - Justyna Gruszczyk
WWW
Justyna Gruszczyk RETURN Project consists on scenting former Lutheran church in Toruń with the incense, which is used by Orthodox Church. Interior of the church will remain empty. In a visual way nothing will change. The source of the fragrance will be h ...
Justyna Gruszczyk RETURN Project consists on scenting former Lutheran church in Toruń with the incense, which is used by Orthodox Church. Interior of the church will remain empty. In a visual way nothing will change. The source of the fragrance will be h ...
U9936
23.01.1997
Messages to the Public - Nancy Spero
Unbuilt Roads
Dear Hans-Ulrich, Thank you for inviting me to participate in "Unbuilt Worlds - unrealized artist-projects". Sounds terrific. In 1986 I was invited to participate in a program called "Messages to the Public". The invited artists would be given a 30- ...
Dear Hans-Ulrich, Thank you for inviting me to participate in "Unbuilt Worlds - unrealized artist-projects". Sounds terrific. In 1986 I was invited to participate in a program called "Messages to the Public". The invited artists would be given a 30- ...
W4194
24.05.2011
Fleury Jean Damien
WWW
Rotation terrestre avec différentiel / projet d'harmonisation par réglage des écoulements temporels ...
Rotation terrestre avec différentiel / projet d'harmonisation par réglage des écoulements temporels ...
W5262
13.10.2012
Seeing the Unseen - Maria Paschalidou
WWW
maria Paschalidou artist, art professor www.mariapaschalidou.com paschalmari@yahoo.com Athens, October 13, 2012 Seeing the Unseen Seeing the Unseen is an ongoing project of tracing the ‘unseen’, the most invisible and/or unobserved sites of an ...
maria Paschalidou artist, art professor www.mariapaschalidou.com paschalmari@yahoo.com Athens, October 13, 2012 Seeing the Unseen Seeing the Unseen is an ongoing project of tracing the ‘unseen’, the most invisible and/or unobserved sites of an ...
W3987
21.05.2011
MEMORY CONFETTI  - STEPHEN j SHANABROOK / VERONIKA GEORGIEVA
WWW
The project MEMORY CONFETTI consists of two parts: through various social network sites we will introduce the project and request the public’s time based participation in sending us images that will be turned into 35 mm slides. These slides mixed with n ...
The project MEMORY CONFETTI consists of two parts: through various social network sites we will introduce the project and request the public’s time based participation in sending us images that will be turned into 35 mm slides. These slides mixed with n ...
W5472
21.10.2012
Ismael Duá
WWW
Berlin, October 7th 2012 Dear publishers, from my numerous unrealised ideas, I uphold this one as the dearest, for I feel that we need it most these days: a paradigm shift across the arts, the sciences and politics which will allow to surpass des ...
Berlin, October 7th 2012 Dear publishers, from my numerous unrealised ideas, I uphold this one as the dearest, for I feel that we need it most these days: a paradigm shift across the arts, the sciences and politics which will allow to surpass des ...
W5246
10.10.2012
Wrap buildings - Iain McPherson
WWW
Project: Wrap buildings. Everything is packaged, transport is branded, so how long before we wrap buildings? 2 mock ups of wrapped buildings in London and Tokyo. ...
Project: Wrap buildings. Everything is packaged, transport is branded, so how long before we wrap buildings? 2 mock ups of wrapped buildings in London and Tokyo. ...
W4161
23.05.2011
Failure - Pauline Hanson
WWW
http://www.severalpursuits.org/?pageid=72 http://www.severalpursuits.org/?pageid=78 ...
http://www.severalpursuits.org/?pageid=72 http://www.severalpursuits.org/?pageid=78 ...
W3623
14.05.2011
Structure for Formal and Material Imagination - Scott Massey
WWW
Travel to another dimension has long held our fascination. From Alice’s tentative leap down the rabbit hole, Wade Davis’ experients with the worlds psychotropic flora, or teleporting from the bridge of the Starship Enterprise, exploration of alternat ...
Travel to another dimension has long held our fascination. From Alice’s tentative leap down the rabbit hole, Wade Davis’ experients with the worlds psychotropic flora, or teleporting from the bridge of the Starship Enterprise, exploration of alternat ...
W3748
18.05.2011
SPOT ON - John Gayer
WWW
Proposed in 2009, SPOT ON could be described as participatory pointillism. My idea was relatively simple. It involved making stamping materials (circular rubber stamps + ink/paint pads in a range of colours) available to viewers so that each could contrib ...
Proposed in 2009, SPOT ON could be described as participatory pointillism. My idea was relatively simple. It involved making stamping materials (circular rubber stamps + ink/paint pads in a range of colours) available to viewers so that each could contrib ...
W10194
07.04.2014
Making A Point - Joel Leibowitz
WWW
Location : fenced Inner perimeter Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir Central Park New York City ; 110 watt mil spec lasers, 400 mirror placements around perimeter of reservoir, center of reservoir 20 beams, array trays 76 degree angle of beams, hgt. ...
Location : fenced Inner perimeter Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir Central Park New York City ; 110 watt mil spec lasers, 400 mirror placements around perimeter of reservoir, center of reservoir 20 beams, array trays 76 degree angle of beams, hgt. ...
U9843
01.01.1996
Aguapracasa - Gabriel Orozco
Unbuilt Roads
House with half sphere swimming pool in the center (eventually reasons why the work has not been realised) No Time Previous Publications (?) No Existing Documents (photos, drawings, models): Drawing Other remarks Designed after a v ...
House with half sphere swimming pool in the center (eventually reasons why the work has not been realised) No Time Previous Publications (?) No Existing Documents (photos, drawings, models): Drawing Other remarks Designed after a v ...
W4220
24.05.2011
Strayed in Schizophrenic Landscapes of a Celibate Machine - Atelier Uraiqat
WWW
Strayed in Schizophrenic Landscapes of a Celibate Machine Atelier Uraiqat “ The forces of living bodies,..... which exert their energy or force through the production of the new and create, through their efforts, networks, fields, territories that ...
Strayed in Schizophrenic Landscapes of a Celibate Machine Atelier Uraiqat “ The forces of living bodies,..... which exert their energy or force through the production of the new and create, through their efforts, networks, fields, territories that ...
W4974
24.08.2012
Y - l a n d - c a l c
WWW
Y - l a n d (speak: why land) is a purely visual project, which intends to promote the Israeli - Palestinian dialogue. The basis is given through a basic and joint Israeli - Palestinian cultural element: the hexagon. Y - L A N D is making the proposal, an ...
Y - l a n d (speak: why land) is a purely visual project, which intends to promote the Israeli - Palestinian dialogue. The basis is given through a basic and joint Israeli - Palestinian cultural element: the hexagon. Y - L A N D is making the proposal, an ...
W4224
24.05.2011
The Hand of God - Magnus Monfeldt
WWW
The Hand of God This unrealized art project from 2005 involves casting the left hand of Escolastico Berto Mendez; a famous Diego Maradona look-a-like who has sacrificed his own identity to make a living being photographed around Buenos Aires suburb La ...
The Hand of God This unrealized art project from 2005 involves casting the left hand of Escolastico Berto Mendez; a famous Diego Maradona look-a-like who has sacrificed his own identity to make a living being photographed around Buenos Aires suburb La ...
W5024
31.08.2012
Generali Project - Omri Livne
WWW
Generali Project. Generali Project is a project I started to develop this year in Vienna, Austria and transferred to Jerusalem, I eventually fitted it to the needs of Jerusalem, Israel. The project is in format of a lecture or projected presentation as ...
Generali Project. Generali Project is a project I started to develop this year in Vienna, Austria and transferred to Jerusalem, I eventually fitted it to the needs of Jerusalem, Israel. The project is in format of a lecture or projected presentation as ...
W4080
23.05.2011
Photorécepteurs - Kasia Ozga
WWW
Description du Projet – Photorécepteurs Pour le projet participatif, Photorécepteurs, je souhaite travailler sur des images en grand format des yeux des habitants de la Ville de _________. Un photorécepteur peut désigner un neurone sensoriel sens ...
Description du Projet – Photorécepteurs Pour le projet participatif, Photorécepteurs, je souhaite travailler sur des images en grand format des yeux des habitants de la Ville de _________. Un photorécepteur peut désigner un neurone sensoriel sens ...
W3559
12.05.2011
David Detrich
WWW
My current project involves coring through art periodicals with the intent to obscure the distinctions between the fashion industry and the art world. The periodical ArtForum is a "container" of such dichotomies. I've constructed a tool that cores through ...
My current project involves coring through art periodicals with the intent to obscure the distinctions between the fashion industry and the art world. The periodical ArtForum is a "container" of such dichotomies. I've constructed a tool that cores through ...
W5364
19.10.2012
Ongoing Meeting Between Reality and Memory - Na'ama Zussman
WWW
Unrealized Project : This work offers an Ongoing Meeting Between Reality and Memory, onto anyone can reflects and projects himself, as his dimensions of presentation – past , present, future and time, and therefore creates sustainable relations betwe ...
Unrealized Project : This work offers an Ongoing Meeting Between Reality and Memory, onto anyone can reflects and projects himself, as his dimensions of presentation – past , present, future and time, and therefore creates sustainable relations betwe ...
W4893
10.08.2012
Ben Sloat
WWW
A chrome machine with cut out letters is in constant production of the word "sorry." Made of smoke, the word lingers for a moment, then quickly dissipates. ...
A chrome machine with cut out letters is in constant production of the word "sorry." Made of smoke, the word lingers for a moment, then quickly dissipates. ...