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.

Engel-Detektor - Jakob Gautel & Jason Karaïndros

Project tor the Veterans Administration Hospital--Bay Pines, Florida. - Robert Morris

Monument with Rust - Gustav Metzger

City Hall Tower Night Ilumination - Krysztof Wodiczko

Project for the Initiative Mahnmal Homosexuellenverfolgung, Frankfurt  - Jeff Wall

Entwurf für einen erneuerten Malkasten 1992 - 1994 - Ulrike Holthöfer

Square Depression - Bruce Nauman

Grand Concours International D'Architecture  - Mahe Gilles

Broadway Musicals - Christian Marclay

Merci, Thank you, Danke: Les 2 sujets  - Thomas Hirschorn

Agency of Unrealised Projects
Logo by Liam Gillick
#
Date
Title
Source
Description
Tags
W3761
18.05.2011
Den Estetiske Dimensjon / The Aesthetic Dimension - Isabela Grosseova and Jesper Alvaer
WWW
The Aesthetic Dimension Public art proposal for the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation - Oslo ...
The Aesthetic Dimension Public art proposal for the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation - Oslo ...
W4058
23.05.2011
Karl Jensen
WWW
“Yet as the ever-woven verdant warp and woof intermixed and hummed around him, the mighty idler seemed the cunning weaver; himself all woven over with the vines; every month assuming greener, fresher verdure: but himself a skeleton. Life folded Death; ...
“Yet as the ever-woven verdant warp and woof intermixed and hummed around him, the mighty idler seemed the cunning weaver; himself all woven over with the vines; every month assuming greener, fresher verdure: but himself a skeleton. Life folded Death; ...
W5256
12.10.2012
The vaporization of 500 liters of perfume over a landlocked city - Dane Mitchell
WWW
Unrealized Project Dane Mitchell The vaporization of 500 liters of perfume over a landlocked city. The scent would predominantly contain ambergris, a substance produced in the digestive system of and regurgitated by sperm whales. ...
Unrealized Project Dane Mitchell The vaporization of 500 liters of perfume over a landlocked city. The scent would predominantly contain ambergris, a substance produced in the digestive system of and regurgitated by sperm whales. ...
W5386
20.10.2012
Vickie Jo Franks
WWW
My plan was to make the front yard a moss garden beneath large oak trees here and create moss sculptures including a nativity scene with little moss trees and small animals.I used recycable materials as the armatures.... ...
My plan was to make the front yard a moss garden beneath large oak trees here and create moss sculptures including a nativity scene with little moss trees and small animals.I used recycable materials as the armatures.... ...
W3982
21.05.2011
Kay Malek
WWW
This is a singular state of a project that will never be finished. ...
This is a singular state of a project that will never be finished. ...
W3651
15.05.2011
A Lighthouse - Goran Tomcic
WWW
“A Lighthouse” is an installation consisting of three main parts: 1. Three walls (each wall app. 15’ long/20’ high) completely wallpapered with cut outs of many different designs of gold holographic films; 2. The floor space in between the walls c ...
“A Lighthouse” is an installation consisting of three main parts: 1. Three walls (each wall app. 15’ long/20’ high) completely wallpapered with cut outs of many different designs of gold holographic films; 2. The floor space in between the walls c ...
W10583
18.06.2014
Downriver - Jonathan Parsons
WWW
proposal for the 2010 Spitalfields Sculpture Prize Downriver further develops my established practice of making ‘dissected’ map sculptures. Previously, I have taken actual source maps and cut away everything from them except one particular visual e ...
proposal for the 2010 Spitalfields Sculpture Prize Downriver further develops my established practice of making ‘dissected’ map sculptures. Previously, I have taken actual source maps and cut away everything from them except one particular visual e ...
W4069
23.05.2011
Alishia Duncanson
WWW
Title: “Mission Impossible 1” Materials: Wood and M.D.F board Corridor space containing 5- 20 drawings in space, creating semi obstructed spaces to be engaged with by the viewer. The work asks the viewer to investigate both space and time as each ...
Title: “Mission Impossible 1” Materials: Wood and M.D.F board Corridor space containing 5- 20 drawings in space, creating semi obstructed spaces to be engaged with by the viewer. The work asks the viewer to investigate both space and time as each ...
W4746
26.05.2011
Freiheits- und Einheitsdenkmal - Rafael Schmidt, RAFAA
WWW
Freiheits- und Einheitsdenkmal Berlin Competition In the autumn of 1989, a growing number of courageous citizens in many cities of the GDR conquered their fear and rose against the totalitarian regime of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED). ...
Freiheits- und Einheitsdenkmal Berlin Competition In the autumn of 1989, a growing number of courageous citizens in many cities of the GDR conquered their fear and rose against the totalitarian regime of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED). ...
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 ...
W4913
14.08.2012
Spacial Installation - Sara Palomeque
WWW
SPATIAL INSTALLATION: Wall made out of strings. Measures: 3m high x 4m breed The wall will be built based on a structure (wood or any other stable material) with two equal sides, supporting two transport bands with motor, which are holding the ropes and r ...
SPATIAL INSTALLATION: Wall made out of strings. Measures: 3m high x 4m breed The wall will be built based on a structure (wood or any other stable material) with two equal sides, supporting two transport bands with motor, which are holding the ropes and r ...
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 ...
W4854
08.08.2012
The Green,White and Red light district - Neda Tavallaee
WWW
This work concentrates on the fact that women in Iran are judged and valued by being wifes and mothers.Therefore there is a great ammount of pressure on them to find husbands.This leads to women being showcased for marriage. Proposal Title:The Gree ...
This work concentrates on the fact that women in Iran are judged and valued by being wifes and mothers.Therefore there is a great ammount of pressure on them to find husbands.This leads to women being showcased for marriage. Proposal Title:The Gree ...
W4184
24.05.2011
A POCKET FULL OF EMPTY - amalia caputo
WWW
PROJECT FOR EXHIBITION “A POCKET FULL OF EMPTY” By Amalia Caputo BRIEF DESCRIPTION This exhibition is a solo show, conceived as an interactive installation of variable dimensions that will take over the main area of an exhibition space. It is ...
PROJECT FOR EXHIBITION “A POCKET FULL OF EMPTY” By Amalia Caputo BRIEF DESCRIPTION This exhibition is a solo show, conceived as an interactive installation of variable dimensions that will take over the main area of an exhibition space. It is ...
W4145
23.05.2011
This England - Cornford & Cross
WWW
For the Times/Artangel commissions, we proposed to build a 50-metre section of concrete ‘flyover’ in Green Park, London. Emerging from the trees would have been an imposing and apparently purposeful structure, a sweeping arc supported on tall piers. Y ...
For the Times/Artangel commissions, we proposed to build a 50-metre section of concrete ‘flyover’ in Green Park, London. Emerging from the trees would have been an imposing and apparently purposeful structure, a sweeping arc supported on tall piers. Y ...
W4585
25.05.2011
land in sight! / land? - Ulrich Ludat
WWW
land in sight! / land? [2011#02] Multimedia-based installation / performance Project description In a container1, of which the doors are opened at an angle of ca. 45°, there are 13 vacuum cleaners2. At the end of the container there is a projection scr ...
land in sight! / land? [2011#02] Multimedia-based installation / performance Project description In a container1, of which the doors are opened at an angle of ca. 45°, there are 13 vacuum cleaners2. At the end of the container there is a projection scr ...
W3499
11.05.2011
Wind Chamber - Duarte da Encarnação
WWW
wind chamber This project consists of designing an “architectural sculpture” of an active capsule intended for temporary public interventions, pragmatic and strictly related to the development of the action and participation in the public sphere. T ...
wind chamber This project consists of designing an “architectural sculpture” of an active capsule intended for temporary public interventions, pragmatic and strictly related to the development of the action and participation in the public sphere. T ...
W4281
24.05.2011
veronique bellavista
WWW
To whom it may concern: Sorry to send this in French, for lack of time since we are the 24th of May, and I had knowledge of your offer only today. I also hope this material will get some protection, since it is indeed a project that has not been ...
To whom it may concern: Sorry to send this in French, for lack of time since we are the 24th of May, and I had knowledge of your offer only today. I also hope this material will get some protection, since it is indeed a project that has not been ...
W3672
15.05.2011
An Island - jeroen doorenweerd
WWW
An Island' is a proposal for a large scale work in public space, commissioned by the province of North-Holland in the Netherlands. 'Kunstgebouw' was involved with the choice of artists. My proposal will not be realised. How many kubic metres of soil ca ...
An Island' is a proposal for a large scale work in public space, commissioned by the province of North-Holland in the Netherlands. 'Kunstgebouw' was involved with the choice of artists. My proposal will not be realised. How many kubic metres of soil ca ...
W4728
26.05.2011
Unfinished projects of avoidance - Andrew Spackman
WWW
Title: Unfinished projects of avoidance Image:P1020494.JPG 100 clocks/100 batteries in polystyrene packaging. Image: P1020451.JPG Unfinished turntable Statement Objects of deliberate ‘avoidance’. Counter intuitive processes are employe ...
Title: Unfinished projects of avoidance Image:P1020494.JPG 100 clocks/100 batteries in polystyrene packaging. Image: P1020451.JPG Unfinished turntable Statement Objects of deliberate ‘avoidance’. Counter intuitive processes are employe ...
W3725
17.05.2011
"The Well" by day and "The Cave" by night - Sissel Kardel
WWW
A four story tower, in the shape of a standing female figure, facade like that of a log cabin which you can enter and explore. Sissel Kardel works from documentary photographs that correspond to visions in which a contemplative female figure is set a ...
A four story tower, in the shape of a standing female figure, facade like that of a log cabin which you can enter and explore. Sissel Kardel works from documentary photographs that correspond to visions in which a contemplative female figure is set a ...
W4485
25.05.2011
transients - rubens mano
WWW
transients, 1997 a good proportion of the images produced up to now reveals the search for some kind of relationship with the sky, and result in a set of actions which allows us to understand how we perceive it and react to its activities – f ...
transients, 1997 a good proportion of the images produced up to now reveals the search for some kind of relationship with the sky, and result in a set of actions which allows us to understand how we perceive it and react to its activities – f ...
W3964
21.05.2011
THE LIBRARY - Liliana Gelman
WWW
The library is a project about books and readers. It consist of two parts, one is the photographic register of books rescued from the street, the beach, or even from the garbage, over my years of immigrant in Israel. los libros de la biblioteca no tie ...
The library is a project about books and readers. It consist of two parts, one is the photographic register of books rescued from the street, the beach, or even from the garbage, over my years of immigrant in Israel. los libros de la biblioteca no tie ...
U9711
01.01.1989
2 Architecture Towers - Robert Irwin
Unbuilt Roads
A competition won in 1989 Tower One: was proposed to sit in a roundabout next to the Chicago river .. 65' (feet) in height, the base an octagonal cast iron construction stands on a slightly mounded cast rubber base ... eight triangular beams thrust upw ...
A competition won in 1989 Tower One: was proposed to sit in a roundabout next to the Chicago river .. 65' (feet) in height, the base an octagonal cast iron construction stands on a slightly mounded cast rubber base ... eight triangular beams thrust upw ...
W4873
09.08.2012
Forms of Responsibility - Jenny Brown
WWW
Forms of Responsibility • Recent Projects by Jenny Brown Jenny Brown Tied (Melting Ice Sea Creatures), 2006 Video Still Variable Dimensions In early 2005, an elegant gesture of product repatriation was conceived and produced by Jenny Brown as a way of b ...
Forms of Responsibility • Recent Projects by Jenny Brown Jenny Brown Tied (Melting Ice Sea Creatures), 2006 Video Still Variable Dimensions In early 2005, an elegant gesture of product repatriation was conceived and produced by Jenny Brown as a way of b ...
W4962
21.08.2012
Erehaag (double row) - Art Van Triest
WWW
interactive double row (dutch: erehaag) http://youtu.be/zocvP7KFWmE ...
interactive double row (dutch: erehaag) http://youtu.be/zocvP7KFWmE ...