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.

Grand Concours International D'Architecture  - Mahe Gilles

Prima del 73 - Fabio Mauri

Unbetitelt, Gänse-Projekt + Noch unbetitelt , " Durch den Mund sehen " + Kartoffeln  - Carsten Holler

Entwurf für einen erneuerten Malkasten 1992 - 1994 - Ulrike Holthöfer

Engel-Detektor - Jakob Gautel & Jason Karaïndros

Monumento all'agricoltura 1969-70 - Alighiero Boetti

Douglas Gordon - 5 year drive-by; proposal for a public artwork.

Grand Concours International D'Architecture  - Sol Lewitt

Square Depression - Bruce Nauman

Der New-Babyloner - Constant

Agency of Unrealised Projects
Logo by Liam Gillick
#
Date
Title
Source
Description
Tags
W3518
11.05.2011
Stairway to Heaven - Alex Murdin
WWW
Stairway to Heaven Sometime in the 1800's steps were cut into it on Haytor, a rocky belvedere on Dartmoor in Devon, and an iron handrail was erected alongside. A Doctor Coker, a visitor in 1851, noted the "...stair step to enable the enervated and ping ...
Stairway to Heaven Sometime in the 1800's steps were cut into it on Haytor, a rocky belvedere on Dartmoor in Devon, and an iron handrail was erected alongside. A Doctor Coker, a visitor in 1851, noted the "...stair step to enable the enervated and ping ...
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 ...
W4382
25.05.2011
Vertebrae Train Project Tra Bouscaren - Tra Bouscaren
WWW
Vertebrae Train Project Tra Bouscaren The "VertebraeTrain Project" is a physical and symbolic exploration of extinction and a meditation on the transmutation of energy from one form into another. Bouscaren presents Berlin's U5 underground train a ...
Vertebrae Train Project Tra Bouscaren The "VertebraeTrain Project" is a physical and symbolic exploration of extinction and a meditation on the transmutation of energy from one form into another. Bouscaren presents Berlin's U5 underground train a ...
W4863
09.08.2012
Zeitstück - Alexander Hahn
WWW
Zeitstück Video-Installation von Alexander Hahn, vers. Juni 05, 1996 Beschreibung Entstehung: Eingeladene Wettbewerbseingabe Kunst am Bau Neubau ETH Leonardstrasse Zürich. Nicht realisiert. Die Jury befürchtete damals, die Studenten könnten s ...
Zeitstück Video-Installation von Alexander Hahn, vers. Juni 05, 1996 Beschreibung Entstehung: Eingeladene Wettbewerbseingabe Kunst am Bau Neubau ETH Leonardstrasse Zürich. Nicht realisiert. Die Jury befürchtete damals, die Studenten könnten s ...
W5078
06.09.2012
Underground tourist centre  - HR-Stamenov
WWW
“ Underground tourist centre to be used in the event of a hypothetic nuclear winter” author HR-Stamenov In the period following a hypotheticl thermo-nuclear war, the earth’s surface would experience “nuclear winter”.... See PDF ...
“ Underground tourist centre to be used in the event of a hypothetic nuclear winter” author HR-Stamenov In the period following a hypotheticl thermo-nuclear war, the earth’s surface would experience “nuclear winter”.... See PDF ...
W4237
24.05.2011
Susanna Byrne
WWW
People are incalculable, not perfect organisms. Systems and processes require the functioning of all the appropriate elements of a formula - remove, alter, adjust or replace any and the algorithm will malfunction. There is a vernacular of aesthetics emb ...
People are incalculable, not perfect organisms. Systems and processes require the functioning of all the appropriate elements of a formula - remove, alter, adjust or replace any and the algorithm will malfunction. There is a vernacular of aesthetics emb ...
U9528
01.01.1988
Billboard - Jimmie Durham
Unbuilt Roads
a "U.S, Highway" - size billboard structure built along some street or auto-route. It would be complete with lights, but built on a structure to look at, that is to say, without a 'message' Without text or images superimposed. (eventually reasons why ...
a "U.S, Highway" - size billboard structure built along some street or auto-route. It would be complete with lights, but built on a structure to look at, that is to say, without a 'message' Without text or images superimposed. (eventually reasons why ...
W5028
31.08.2012
100 Minutes from the Lives of Shadows - János Xantus
WWW
'100 Minutes from the Lives of Shadows' A film of characters who are ignorent of being characters of a film. Except one of them... This "l'art pour l'art screenplay" was written by my friend Jean-Daniel Magnin and myself some twenty years ago. 1 ...
'100 Minutes from the Lives of Shadows' A film of characters who are ignorent of being characters of a film. Except one of them... This "l'art pour l'art screenplay" was written by my friend Jean-Daniel Magnin and myself some twenty years ago. 1 ...
W5231
08.10.2012
Trespassing - Ole Brodersen
WWW
The series “Trespassing” explores encounters between human and nature. Human-made objects are placed into a landscape, where their interactions with the natural elements are recorded. The photographer harnesses the forces of wind, currents and wave ...
The series “Trespassing” explores encounters between human and nature. Human-made objects are placed into a landscape, where their interactions with the natural elements are recorded. The photographer harnesses the forces of wind, currents and wave ...
W10287
01.01.2007
Anthroepiphytic - Héctor Zamora
WWW
Dimensions: Variable Technique: scaffolding structure Exhibition: Frontera - Esbozo para la creación de una sociedad del futuro Place: Frontera Corozal - Chiapas - México Antroepiphytic consists of the building of a walkable tower around an ...
Dimensions: Variable Technique: scaffolding structure Exhibition: Frontera - Esbozo para la creación de una sociedad del futuro Place: Frontera Corozal - Chiapas - México Antroepiphytic consists of the building of a walkable tower around an ...
W3680
16.05.2011
THE STREAM - robert sherwood duffield
WWW
The Stream was a research project I had proposed at The University of Newcastle to be set and running by the year 2000 in Sydney. The Stream was to a 100-year continuous movie that would be available via a web page http://www.The-Stream.cc. There was to ...
The Stream was a research project I had proposed at The University of Newcastle to be set and running by the year 2000 in Sydney. The Stream was to a 100-year continuous movie that would be available via a web page http://www.The-Stream.cc. There was to ...
W4465
25.05.2011
ExoMars - Lyn Hagan
WWW
The European Space Agency (ESA) currently runs a space exploration programme called Aurora which includes a planned robotic mission to the surface of Mars. The ExoMars rover will be sent in 2018 to gather and analyse data they receive and includes a nu ...
The European Space Agency (ESA) currently runs a space exploration programme called Aurora which includes a planned robotic mission to the surface of Mars. The ExoMars rover will be sent in 2018 to gather and analyse data they receive and includes a nu ...
W3729
18.05.2011
“Minaret” - Felippe Moraes
WWW
The installation “Minaret” is constituted by a single scaffold 7m high with 2 pairs of stereo speakers in its top emitting simultaneously an African drum counting the prime numbers starting 2, 3, 5, 7, 11… going up to … 89, 97, 101 ...
The installation “Minaret” is constituted by a single scaffold 7m high with 2 pairs of stereo speakers in its top emitting simultaneously an African drum counting the prime numbers starting 2, 3, 5, 7, 11… going up to … 89, 97, 101 ...
W3534
11.05.2011
Dah Di-dah-dah Dah-dah-dah, Di-dah-di-dit Dah-dah-dah Di-di-di-dah Dit Di-dah-dit Di-di-dit - Stephan Apicella-Hitchcock
WWW
Dah Di-dah-dah Dah-dah-dah, Di-dah-di-dit Dah-dah-dah Di-di-di-dah Dit Di-dah-dit Di-di-dit, 1985 (approx.) – 2011, h 20 cm x w 13 cm (h 8” x w 5”), 82 page pocket book, black and white text pages printed on 60-pound (90g/m2) cream-colored paper, 4- ...
Dah Di-dah-dah Dah-dah-dah, Di-dah-di-dit Dah-dah-dah Di-di-di-dah Dit Di-dah-dit Di-di-dit, 1985 (approx.) – 2011, h 20 cm x w 13 cm (h 8” x w 5”), 82 page pocket book, black and white text pages printed on 60-pound (90g/m2) cream-colored paper, 4- ...
W4119
23.05.2011
TIME:PIECE - LEWIS KOCH
WWW
TIME:PIECE, A PUBLIC ARTWORK BY LEWIS KOCH, to hang on the front facade of the museum building, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, Manitoba. The banner's design, comprised of line drawing and text, presents an interpretation of the idea of time defined from ...
TIME:PIECE, A PUBLIC ARTWORK BY LEWIS KOCH, to hang on the front facade of the museum building, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, Manitoba. The banner's design, comprised of line drawing and text, presents an interpretation of the idea of time defined from ...
W4663
25.05.2011
Arbeit Macht Nicht Frei (Work doens’t bring freedom)  - DARR TAH LEI
WWW
Arbeit Macht Nicht Frei (Work doens’t bring freedom) Project for an installation 4 drawings hanged on 4 walls, masses of heavy chains hanging from the ceiling. Area of room needed - minimum 40 mt2 This artwork happens with the intention to emphasize t ...
Arbeit Macht Nicht Frei (Work doens’t bring freedom) Project for an installation 4 drawings hanged on 4 walls, masses of heavy chains hanging from the ceiling. Area of room needed - minimum 40 mt2 This artwork happens with the intention to emphasize t ...
W4559
25.05.2011
Being there and not here - Baptist Coelho
WWW
Artwork Details: Being there and not here, 2006 Mixed-media installation with performance Dimension of gardens: L 48 X B 52 X H 3 feet Installation dimensions: Variable Concept Note: The installation, Being there and not here, consists of two ide ...
Artwork Details: Being there and not here, 2006 Mixed-media installation with performance Dimension of gardens: L 48 X B 52 X H 3 feet Installation dimensions: Variable Concept Note: The installation, Being there and not here, consists of two ide ...
W3611
13.05.2011
Atanas Atanasoski
WWW
U9651
19.02.1997
Douglas Gordon - 5 year drive-by; proposal for a public artwork.
Unbuilt Roads
Originally presented at the Biennale de Lyon, 1995. The work is something of a companion piece to 24 Hour Psycho but it may, appear to be a little more extreme in some ways. I want to work with John Ford's film The Searchers which is, I think, the ar ...
Originally presented at the Biennale de Lyon, 1995. The work is something of a companion piece to 24 Hour Psycho but it may, appear to be a little more extreme in some ways. I want to work with John Ford's film The Searchers which is, I think, the ar ...
W3712
17.05.2011
A higher place, London 1998 (project) - Mark Pimlott
WWW
At Royal Docks, a series of parallel bands of different kinds of space and different kinds of use run alongside the existing dock. The dock was designed as a piece of infrastructure, orchestrating and rationalising the activities that took place anlongsid ...
At Royal Docks, a series of parallel bands of different kinds of space and different kinds of use run alongside the existing dock. The dock was designed as a piece of infrastructure, orchestrating and rationalising the activities that took place anlongsid ...
W4092
23.05.2011
UNREALIZEABLE PROJECT A000003 - Stefano W. Pasquini
WWW
UNREALIZEABLE PROJECT A000003: The Queen of England becomes part of an installation / performance in a gallery. I am sending you a selection of projects, all of them can be found here: http://stefanopasquini.net/content/unremain.html ...
UNREALIZEABLE PROJECT A000003: The Queen of England becomes part of an installation / performance in a gallery. I am sending you a selection of projects, all of them can be found here: http://stefanopasquini.net/content/unremain.html ...
W3501
11.05.2011
The Replacement Weather - Rebecca Hackemann
WWW
The Replacement Weather consists of replacement clouds for replacement weather, consisting of sculptural light installation. In case the real clouds become defunct, obsolete or unusable, I am proposing a quasi spoof proposal format of a light and sculptur ...
The Replacement Weather consists of replacement clouds for replacement weather, consisting of sculptural light installation. In case the real clouds become defunct, obsolete or unusable, I am proposing a quasi spoof proposal format of a light and sculptur ...
W4215
24.05.2011
Book-less library – The Transfiguration - Will Foster
WWW
Book-less library – The Transfiguration Locate a public library. Enquire into the amount of books the library holds and how many books can be loaned at one time per person. Calculate how many people would be needed to empty the library. ...
Book-less library – The Transfiguration Locate a public library. Enquire into the amount of books the library holds and how many books can be loaned at one time per person. Calculate how many people would be needed to empty the library. ...
W4635
25.05.2011
“Handy Space Bags”  - Valeska Peschke
WWW
“Handy Space Bags” Kafka wrote: "Everyone carries a room about him." Everyone carries a room about him through other rooms. I hope to examine and detect ‘traverse rooms’ . In daily life, moving through the city, the utilities needed are enclos ...
“Handy Space Bags” Kafka wrote: "Everyone carries a room about him." Everyone carries a room about him through other rooms. I hope to examine and detect ‘traverse rooms’ . In daily life, moving through the city, the utilities needed are enclos ...
D10788
09.09.2012
Empty Super Market  - Bruzzone
DAAD
Empty Super Market Empty Plane ...
Empty Super Market Empty Plane ...
W4030
22.05.2011
The Grand Tour - Holly Crawford
WWW
Preliminary Proposal The Grand Tour In the current global art market only the very wealthy and select and limited number of curators may participate fully. At the fairs there are VIP lounges were you may get a message, have a snack and a glass of ...
Preliminary Proposal The Grand Tour In the current global art market only the very wealthy and select and limited number of curators may participate fully. At the fairs there are VIP lounges were you may get a message, have a snack and a glass of ...