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.

The insurer - Fabrice Hybert

City Hall Tower Night Ilumination - Krysztof Wodiczko

"Free Space" - Michelangelo Pistoletto

"400" - Manfred Pernice

119. PROJET DE DESTRUCTION DU MUSEE 1970 - 1971 - Jef Geys

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

Engel-Detektor - Jakob Gautel & Jason Karaïndros

Aus: Katalog 'Kunst bleibt Kunst' - Hans Peter Feldman

Projet pour la Place Saint Léger à Chambery  - Erik Dietman

The World Record - General Idea

Agency of Unrealised Projects
Logo by Liam Gillick
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Date
Title
Source
Description
Tags
W4657
25.05.2011
BLUE LASER LIGHT PIECE - Karen Gunderson
WWW
BLUE LASER LIGHT PIECE The location could be any small town or an area of a big town which has buildings that house many different religions. Sites: The highest point on each of the religious buildings. Materials: Blue laser light mechanisms, power ...
BLUE LASER LIGHT PIECE The location could be any small town or an area of a big town which has buildings that house many different religions. Sites: The highest point on each of the religious buildings. Materials: Blue laser light mechanisms, power ...
W5143
23.09.2012
The Phoenix Atlas - The Phoenix Atlas
WWW
The Phoenix Atlas is an Internet-based art collective, run by Dutch curator/art critic Okke De Groot, Brazilian artist Ana Laura Ferreira and Croatian art writer/publisher Jan Karan. The project focuses on writing as a practice between fiction, art criti ...
The Phoenix Atlas is an Internet-based art collective, run by Dutch curator/art critic Okke De Groot, Brazilian artist Ana Laura Ferreira and Croatian art writer/publisher Jan Karan. The project focuses on writing as a practice between fiction, art criti ...
W4519
25.05.2011
Gdansk, 2011-05-25 - Malgorzata Lisiewicz
WWW
Gdansk, 2011-05-25 In response to your call for unrealized projects I would like to submit the two from my archives: PROJECT no.1: The submission being as a response to the call for exhibition projects organized on the occasion of the Tenth Anniversar ...
Gdansk, 2011-05-25 In response to your call for unrealized projects I would like to submit the two from my archives: PROJECT no.1: The submission being as a response to the call for exhibition projects organized on the occasion of the Tenth Anniversar ...
W4247
24.05.2011
Writing on the wall - Eric Fong
WWW
This project is inspired by the political, economic and cultural changes in China and Germany in 1989 and after. While East Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia and Romania moved towards democracy in 1989, China killed pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Squ ...
This project is inspired by the political, economic and cultural changes in China and Germany in 1989 and after. While East Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia and Romania moved towards democracy in 1989, China killed pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Squ ...
U9578
01.01.1997
Financial Times Millennium Bridge Competition - Richard Serra and Frank Gehry
Unbuilt Roads
Design Intent: The main purpose of a footbridge across the Thames should be more than to transport people most efficiently from point A to point B. We propose, instead, a bridge where sociality becomes the dominant practical purpose, a structure which ...
Design Intent: The main purpose of a footbridge across the Thames should be more than to transport people most efficiently from point A to point B. We propose, instead, a bridge where sociality becomes the dominant practical purpose, a structure which ...
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 ...
W3504
11.05.2011
Global Culture - ALBERTO LICANDRO
WWW
Image 1: 1000mt highrise tower on 1 column with 52 steel cables around its supporting structure visible from street level to 500mt up, where the first of its 68 floors for restaurant space (20 floors), office space (30 floors) and living space (18 floors) ...
Image 1: 1000mt highrise tower on 1 column with 52 steel cables around its supporting structure visible from street level to 500mt up, where the first of its 68 floors for restaurant space (20 floors), office space (30 floors) and living space (18 floors) ...
W5058
03.09.2012
Tabakalera - Taller Basico de Arquitectura [TBA]
WWW
Tabakalera (2008) LE VOYAGE DANS LA LUNE The trip Us astronomers, motivated by our curiosity and thirst of knowledge, we have design a capsule – the golden room- that will enable us to discover other realities. The great event takes place, finally, a ...
Tabakalera (2008) LE VOYAGE DANS LA LUNE The trip Us astronomers, motivated by our curiosity and thirst of knowledge, we have design a capsule – the golden room- that will enable us to discover other realities. The great event takes place, finally, a ...
W5203
03.10.2012
Blueprint - Peter J Hoffmeister
WWW
With the “Blueprint” series I seek to draw a new experience from the blueprint, something not normally considered for artistic purposes. My process utilizes the cyanotype print, which was the process first used to make modern blueprints beginning in. ...
With the “Blueprint” series I seek to draw a new experience from the blueprint, something not normally considered for artistic purposes. My process utilizes the cyanotype print, which was the process first used to make modern blueprints beginning in. ...
U9892
16.02.1997
Fax Transmission - Raymond Pettibone and Jason Rhoades
Unbuilt Roads
Fax to: HANS-ULRICH OBRIST From Jason Rhoades Greeting HAN-ULRICH Well the project sounded great but I didn't have any unfulfilled projects that I sad appropriate for the project, but just last sunday I was at the race track with raymon pettibone ...
Fax to: HANS-ULRICH OBRIST From Jason Rhoades Greeting HAN-ULRICH Well the project sounded great but I didn't have any unfulfilled projects that I sad appropriate for the project, but just last sunday I was at the race track with raymon pettibone ...
W5306
17.10.2012
cat.rais - Jake Morton
WWW
AUP : Agency for un-realised projects : submission : 1.0 The A.U.P. - Agency for un-realised projects - open call invitation states: 1.1 “Though the state of being unrealized implies the potential for realization, not all projects are intended to ...
AUP : Agency for un-realised projects : submission : 1.0 The A.U.P. - Agency for un-realised projects - open call invitation states: 1.1 “Though the state of being unrealized implies the potential for realization, not all projects are intended to ...
W4770
29.05.2011
jean-paul moreira
WWW
For the location of a site specific vegetable garden installation, from the end of winter 2007 until fall, behind Blaak bus stop, near the WdKA in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, I imagined, designed and planned a 4x6x3metres glass house where climbing plants ...
For the location of a site specific vegetable garden installation, from the end of winter 2007 until fall, behind Blaak bus stop, near the WdKA in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, I imagined, designed and planned a 4x6x3metres glass house where climbing plants ...
D10803
09.09.2012
Untitled  - Theo Eshetu
DAAD
W3683
16.05.2011
Mumfordshire - A Megalopolis - Bruce Asbestos
WWW
Mumfordshire is unrealised plan for a megalopolis (a series of interconnected urban areas), which seeks to re-imagine a complex but positive future of mega-cities and society. Mumfordshire is partly based on revising Lewis Mumford’s idea that the Roman ...
Mumfordshire is unrealised plan for a megalopolis (a series of interconnected urban areas), which seeks to re-imagine a complex but positive future of mega-cities and society. Mumfordshire is partly based on revising Lewis Mumford’s idea that the Roman ...
W4388
25.05.2011
THIS ISA NICE NEIGHBORHOOD - MARTINEZ PETROPOULOS WHITE
WWW
THIS ISA NICE NEIGHBORHOOD Moscone Center/Howard Street Project, San Francisco, CA 1991 Located two blocks south of Market Street, the site is the space between two Convention Centers – six lanes of traffic, with two sets of three lane bus and taxi ...
THIS ISA NICE NEIGHBORHOOD Moscone Center/Howard Street Project, San Francisco, CA 1991 Located two blocks south of Market Street, the site is the space between two Convention Centers – six lanes of traffic, with two sets of three lane bus and taxi ...
W4169
24.05.2011
Apocalypse Wave  - Mitya Nesterov & Lera Nibiru
WWW
Apocalypse Wave On 12 January 2010, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck, Haiti and its capital, Port-au-Prince. The devastation was horrible, an estimated three million people were affected by the quake, the Haitian government reported that an estimated ...
Apocalypse Wave On 12 January 2010, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck, Haiti and its capital, Port-au-Prince. The devastation was horrible, an estimated three million people were affected by the quake, the Haitian government reported that an estimated ...
W4171
24.05.2011
Mitya Nesterov
WWW
Project with a work title ZOO, series of hand printed color photographs installed inside animal and bird cages ...
Project with a work title ZOO, series of hand printed color photographs installed inside animal and bird cages ...
W10398
19.04.2014
Object Non Object - John Kenneth Melvin
WWW
Abstract: The purpose of this document is to explore, establish, and develop the possible application of a large scale temporary installation in the earth’s orbit. Concept: Ideally in order to make that something which questions the materiality ...
Abstract: The purpose of this document is to explore, establish, and develop the possible application of a large scale temporary installation in the earth’s orbit. Concept: Ideally in order to make that something which questions the materiality ...
W4448
25.05.2011
Minaret Project - Joanna Rajkowska
WWW
Minaret Project ‘What is absolutely crucial for me is the relationship between the work, a real work in real space, and the body. One can hardly discuss a project’s impact on the public sphere if the project is not physically there, if everyone onl ...
Minaret Project ‘What is absolutely crucial for me is the relationship between the work, a real work in real space, and the body. One can hardly discuss a project’s impact on the public sphere if the project is not physically there, if everyone onl ...
W5424
20.10.2012
THE DIFFICULT INTERPRETATION OF PHOTOGRAPHIC REALITY - Ulrich Bocker
WWW
THE DIFFICULT INTERPRETATION OF PHOTOGRAPHIC REALITY For the innocent photography is the most obvious form of visual communication in the world. The pictured situation seems clear at first sight until we read the title or the legend underneath. An opt ...
THE DIFFICULT INTERPRETATION OF PHOTOGRAPHIC REALITY For the innocent photography is the most obvious form of visual communication in the world. The pictured situation seems clear at first sight until we read the title or the legend underneath. An opt ...
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 ...
W3686
16.05.2011
Residue - christopher whittey
WWW
5/16/2011 Having gone through more than sufficient amounts of red tape, I procured permission to acquire shredded U.S. currency from a Federal Reserve Bank located in downtown Baltimore. Over the course of a few months, I picked up an estimated 40-50 m ...
5/16/2011 Having gone through more than sufficient amounts of red tape, I procured permission to acquire shredded U.S. currency from a Federal Reserve Bank located in downtown Baltimore. Over the course of a few months, I picked up an estimated 40-50 m ...
W4296
24.05.2011
THIS DOES NOT ADVERTISE ANYTHING AT ALL - Reynard Loki
WWW
THIS DOES NOT ADVERTISE ANYTHING AT ALL An Unrealized Project by Reynard Loki This project exists entirely as the articulation of the text of the work’s title -- “THIS DOES NOT ADVERTISE ANYTHING AT ALL” -- onto billboards and other public adv ...
THIS DOES NOT ADVERTISE ANYTHING AT ALL An Unrealized Project by Reynard Loki This project exists entirely as the articulation of the text of the work’s title -- “THIS DOES NOT ADVERTISE ANYTHING AT ALL” -- onto billboards and other public adv ...
W4109
23.05.2011
Floating Gardens of Rock City - Liliane Lijn
WWW
Floating Gardens of Rock City 1970 63.5 x 53 cm Collaged newspaper / magazine cuttings mounted on coloured card Exhibited in Propositions for Unrealised Projects Howard Wise Gallery, New York A set of four collages in which I visualised transform ...
Floating Gardens of Rock City 1970 63.5 x 53 cm Collaged newspaper / magazine cuttings mounted on coloured card Exhibited in Propositions for Unrealised Projects Howard Wise Gallery, New York A set of four collages in which I visualised transform ...
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. ...
W5098
13.09.2012
we love live - Copa & Sordes
WWW
we love live an idea for an ornament in public space ...
we love live an idea for an ornament in public space ...