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 Clock - Ayse Erkmen

Project 1 + Project 2 - Simryn Gill

Just Before Dawn - David Lamelas

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

Niemandsland - Hans Haacke

The World is a Theater and we each have a role - Louise Bourgeois

Nicht realisierte Projekte - Stefan Demary

Progetto per Gerry Schum - Guiseppe Penone

Dog Jaw Monument - A Futurist Tele-introject - Leon Golub

CIVITAS Stadtpostkarten - Lothar Baumgarten

Agency of Unrealised Projects
Logo by Liam Gillick
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Date
Title
Source
Description
Tags
W3988
21.05.2011
Decodification of the rituals mapping of hitchhikers to fish auction market, havana - Carolyn Leung
WWW
An architectural provocation of the Socialistic country, Cuba. Research started from hitchhiking in Havana, mapping of the behaviors of individuals. With self-interpretation and experience leads to a speculative design of a Fish Auction Market in Havana. ...
An architectural provocation of the Socialistic country, Cuba. Research started from hitchhiking in Havana, mapping of the behaviors of individuals. With self-interpretation and experience leads to a speculative design of a Fish Auction Market in Havana. ...
W4630
25.05.2011
Newark Orphan Asylum - Ann LePore
WWW
Newark Orphan Asylum is a proposal for public art at NJIT Alumni Center at 323 Marlin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Newark. In conjunction with Do1thing.org, an organization for homeless youth, and/or Heart Gallery of New Jersey (heartgallerynj.org), an organiz ...
Newark Orphan Asylum is a proposal for public art at NJIT Alumni Center at 323 Marlin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Newark. In conjunction with Do1thing.org, an organization for homeless youth, and/or Heart Gallery of New Jersey (heartgallerynj.org), an organiz ...
W4225
24.05.2011
Climbing the Devil's table / the Daredevil - Romain Sein
WWW
Climbing the Devil's table / the Daredevil (approximatively traduced from french) Climbing the Devil's table is an unrealized project but it's not unrealizable. «The Teufelstisch», the devil table, is a spectacular sandstone from the region of ...
Climbing the Devil's table / the Daredevil (approximatively traduced from french) Climbing the Devil's table is an unrealized project but it's not unrealizable. «The Teufelstisch», the devil table, is a spectacular sandstone from the region of ...
W3844
19.05.2011
I want to do the laundry; or rather I want to finish the laundry - Svava Thordis Juliusson
WWW
TO: Agency of Unrealized Projects I want to do the laundry; or rather I want to finish the laundry. It is a project that poses vague theoretical and aesthetic questions, but to explore possible ways to put an end to this task could forever change the t ...
TO: Agency of Unrealized Projects I want to do the laundry; or rather I want to finish the laundry. It is a project that poses vague theoretical and aesthetic questions, but to explore possible ways to put an end to this task could forever change the t ...
U9759
06.04.1997
Monument to Democracy - Kounellis
Unbuilt Roads
La scultura doveva essere posata davanti alla nuova ala del parlamento olandese di Den Haag. Sono partito dalla struttura ampia, di grande presenza, degll fumaioli che si vedevano sui tetto del vecchio parlamento. Questa strutture architectonica era diven ...
La scultura doveva essere posata davanti alla nuova ala del parlamento olandese di Den Haag. Sono partito dalla struttura ampia, di grande presenza, degll fumaioli che si vedevano sui tetto del vecchio parlamento. Questa strutture architectonica era diven ...
W3959
20.05.2011
Wall - Jeanne Friscia
WWW
"Wall" is a text-based installation of each of George Bush's State of the Union Addresses alphabetized and shown in consecutive order. The project is unfinished because I have only printed one of the speeches and have not found a venue interested. In ...
"Wall" is a text-based installation of each of George Bush's State of the Union Addresses alphabetized and shown in consecutive order. The project is unfinished because I have only printed one of the speeches and have not found a venue interested. In ...
W4316
24.05.2011
Scaffold Cathedral - Kirsty Tinkler
WWW
Kirsty Tinkler Shoreditch Festival Proposal 2007 Working title: Scaffold Cathedral Materials: Scaffold tubing, brackets, construction mesh Dimensions: 7.5 x 5 x 5 metres The ‘Scaffold Cathedral’ is a skeletal structure measuring 5 x 5 metr ...
Kirsty Tinkler Shoreditch Festival Proposal 2007 Working title: Scaffold Cathedral Materials: Scaffold tubing, brackets, construction mesh Dimensions: 7.5 x 5 x 5 metres The ‘Scaffold Cathedral’ is a skeletal structure measuring 5 x 5 metr ...
U9804
25.03.1997
Unrealized Projects - Jonas Meckas
Unbuilt Roads
Dear Hans Ulrich: Tonight I am thinking about my unrealized projects. I have many of them. One is: To publish a book of IDEAS. I consider that ideas are the cheapest thing in the world. I have about 10,000 of them. But I have no time to put them all in ...
Dear Hans Ulrich: Tonight I am thinking about my unrealized projects. I have many of them. One is: To publish a book of IDEAS. I consider that ideas are the cheapest thing in the world. I have about 10,000 of them. But I have no time to put them all in ...
W3516
11.05.2011
Hugo Houayek
WWW
To build bridges supporting pillars are needed. To construct pillars art is necessary. Build permanent bridges with ephemeral colored pillars. ...
To build bridges supporting pillars are needed. To construct pillars art is necessary. Build permanent bridges with ephemeral colored pillars. ...
W3915
20.05.2011
Gorica Orsholits
WWW
This is one of my first projects where I tried to reflect on my personal emotional state towards the war in Bosnia (1992-1995), and the notion of constantly “living between two wars" experiences by many generations born in the turmoil Balkan region. ...
This is one of my first projects where I tried to reflect on my personal emotional state towards the war in Bosnia (1992-1995), and the notion of constantly “living between two wars" experiences by many generations born in the turmoil Balkan region. ...
W4494
25.05.2011
'“Cork 2000: The Symbol of Never-ending Happiness”  - Andro Semeiko
WWW
'“Cork 2000: The Symbol of Never-ending Happiness” 'Cork 2000 was built and launched by Cape Space Centre (CSC) in response to a celebration of the year 2000. President of CSC, Dr B. Karney said in her interview: “Popping the cork is associated w ...
'“Cork 2000: The Symbol of Never-ending Happiness” 'Cork 2000 was built and launched by Cape Space Centre (CSC) in response to a celebration of the year 2000. President of CSC, Dr B. Karney said in her interview: “Popping the cork is associated w ...
W3750
18.05.2011
Red stars, 2008 - Tanja Lazetic
WWW
Early in 2008 I was planning a coloring action. There is a historical monument in Ljubljana called The Trail of Remembrance and Comradeship; consisting of a walkway almost ringing Ljubljana; its signposts bear the emblem of the red star. Over time, the re ...
Early in 2008 I was planning a coloring action. There is a historical monument in Ljubljana called The Trail of Remembrance and Comradeship; consisting of a walkway almost ringing Ljubljana; its signposts bear the emblem of the red star. Over time, the re ...
W3652
15.05.2011
Dederon – The Fabric of the East - Daniel Blochwitz
WWW
One of the most complex and yet unrealized projects of mine is “Dederon – The Fabric of the East” (2003-present), which literally uses the (polyester) thread named after the DDR (engl.: G.D.R.) to trace the initially noble and ambitious project of e ...
One of the most complex and yet unrealized projects of mine is “Dederon – The Fabric of the East” (2003-present), which literally uses the (polyester) thread named after the DDR (engl.: G.D.R.) to trace the initially noble and ambitious project of e ...
W5049
03.09.2012
Civic Centre in Salburua  - Taller Basico de Arquitectura [TBA]
WWW
Civic Centre in Salburua (2009) The expansion of the city towards the peripheral neighborhoods has occupied the green limits between the inhabited zone and the world. These areas still retain their limit character, and they don’t appear on the city a ...
Civic Centre in Salburua (2009) The expansion of the city towards the peripheral neighborhoods has occupied the green limits between the inhabited zone and the world. These areas still retain their limit character, and they don’t appear on the city a ...
W5072
05.09.2012
Futures, Derivatives & Other Options  - Burak Delier
WWW
Futures, Derivatives & Other Options Burak Delier In my latest works I have been dealing with the conflicting relationships of the tools of conduct employed by contemporary capitalism (techniques, tools, processes) and the fields of art and politics. M ...
Futures, Derivatives & Other Options Burak Delier In my latest works I have been dealing with the conflicting relationships of the tools of conduct employed by contemporary capitalism (techniques, tools, processes) and the fields of art and politics. M ...
W5086
09.09.2012
Underwater Forest - Hans Feyerabend
WWW
Underwater Forest Suspended sculpture for Palmetto Bay Village Hall, Florida Underwater Forest is a large sculptural installation suspended from a 30’ ceiling, measuring 18’ in diameter. Its formal language derived from amorphous maritime life. Th ...
Underwater Forest Suspended sculpture for Palmetto Bay Village Hall, Florida Underwater Forest is a large sculptural installation suspended from a 30’ ceiling, measuring 18’ in diameter. Its formal language derived from amorphous maritime life. Th ...
U9864
01.01.1992
Post Photographic apparatus - Steven Pippin
Unbuilt Roads
Description: The impetus came from , or was initially inspired by the endless stream of monotonous images created by the exponential growth in the amount of photographic apparatus. In an effort to counteract this mediocre use of such a powerfull medium ...
Description: The impetus came from , or was initially inspired by the endless stream of monotonous images created by the exponential growth in the amount of photographic apparatus. In an effort to counteract this mediocre use of such a powerfull medium ...
W5085
09.09.2012
The Great Public Sale of unrealized but brilliant Ideas - Prinz Gholam
WWW
In 2008 we made a collage which was a sketch to a deeper longing to create a performance in and for the Kamihohikawa studio of Kazuo Ohno. It was built by Ohno to create and practice his work. In 2010 Sarah Vanhee approached us to take part in her project ...
In 2008 we made a collage which was a sketch to a deeper longing to create a performance in and for the Kamihohikawa studio of Kazuo Ohno. It was built by Ohno to create and practice his work. In 2010 Sarah Vanhee approached us to take part in her project ...
W3840
19.05.2011
One month of picnics. - Ding Ren
WWW
What better place for art and life to intersect, interweave, and co-mingle than in food? In the making, consumption, and presentation of food. Everyone needs to eat, and there are so many politics in this necessity. When art is food and food is art, t ...
What better place for art and life to intersect, interweave, and co-mingle than in food? In the making, consumption, and presentation of food. Everyone needs to eat, and there are so many politics in this necessity. When art is food and food is art, t ...
W5263
13.10.2012
Brick Rushnik - Maria Gonchar
WWW
Rushnik or Rushnyk- Ukrainian embroidered decorative towel. In ancient times, the towel, embroidered with the relevant patterns, symbols, has been an inherent part of many ceremonies. For centuries it has the importance of figurative-symbolic significanc ...
Rushnik or Rushnyk- Ukrainian embroidered decorative towel. In ancient times, the towel, embroidered with the relevant patterns, symbols, has been an inherent part of many ceremonies. For centuries it has the importance of figurative-symbolic significanc ...
W4725
26.05.2011
Billy Apple
WWW
Billy Apple Unrealised Project: To reinstate Frank Lloyd Wright’s door The Guggenheim Museum, New York The Solomon R Guggenheim Museum is signed on the outside in a square red tile with the architect’s initials, FLW. It came to my attention in t ...
Billy Apple Unrealised Project: To reinstate Frank Lloyd Wright’s door The Guggenheim Museum, New York The Solomon R Guggenheim Museum is signed on the outside in a square red tile with the architect’s initials, FLW. It came to my attention in t ...
W5196
02.10.2012
The Installation series of Untitled (Wishes, Lies and Dreams >> Wonderfully Wonderful ...) - Sarawut Chutiwongpeti
WWW
“The Installation series of Untitled (Wishes, Lies and Dreams >> Wonderfully Wonderful ...)” Basic Concept: My goal is to investigate the expressive possibilities of conceptual visual language and to develop Collaborative New Art as part of bot ...
“The Installation series of Untitled (Wishes, Lies and Dreams >> Wonderfully Wonderful ...)” Basic Concept: My goal is to investigate the expressive possibilities of conceptual visual language and to develop Collaborative New Art as part of bot ...
W3782
18.05.2011
De Almeida e Silva
WWW
wanna build a Tv DVd player sustain by battery, play a video loop on it, and covered it in a box of concrete, creating an actual endless loop. like the Myth of Sisyphus. ...
wanna build a Tv DVd player sustain by battery, play a video loop on it, and covered it in a box of concrete, creating an actual endless loop. like the Myth of Sisyphus. ...
W5491
26.10.2012
AUDIOLABIA - Karen Hibbard
WWW
Arist Book Proposal by Karen Hibbard, Women’s Studio Workshop, 2011. The title merges the words ‘audio’ and ‘labia’. Audio is any refers to any representation of sound. Labium (plural labia) is a Latin‐derived term meaning "Lip".The labia are ...
Arist Book Proposal by Karen Hibbard, Women’s Studio Workshop, 2011. The title merges the words ‘audio’ and ‘labia’. Audio is any refers to any representation of sound. Labium (plural labia) is a Latin‐derived term meaning "Lip".The labia are ...
W3671
15.05.2011
Before The Gates Of Our Vacant Future - Joseph Shaeffer
WWW
Project initially proposed for the Garage Center For Contemporary Culture in Moscow, Russia which is housed in the historic Bakhmetevsky Bus Garage designed by Konstantin Melnikov in 1926. “Before the gates of our vacant future.” Thus reads the ope ...
Project initially proposed for the Garage Center For Contemporary Culture in Moscow, Russia which is housed in the historic Bakhmetevsky Bus Garage designed by Konstantin Melnikov in 1926. “Before the gates of our vacant future.” Thus reads the ope ...
W4012
22.05.2011
Arthur Woods
WWW
The O.U.R.S. project concerns the concept of a monumental orbiting ring sculpture designed for realization in the outer space environment in the year 2000. ...
The O.U.R.S. project concerns the concept of a monumental orbiting ring sculpture designed for realization in the outer space environment in the year 2000. ...