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.

A FAIRLY TALL TOWER, 48,000 Miles High -  - Siah Armajani

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

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

"Ileana, I love you" - Maurizo Cattelan

Nicht realisierte Projekte - Stefan Demary

Broadway Musicals - Christian Marclay

Temple of the western buddha (1971 Kathmedu) - Herman de Vries

Prima del 73 - Fabio Mauri

Ruderaltisch, 1994/95 Kunst am Bau - Projekt - Lois Weinberger

Attitudine Diplomatica - Hermann Pitz

Agency of Unrealised Projects
Logo by Liam Gillick
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Date
Title
Source
Description
Tags
W4280
24.05.2011
Vision and Vernacular: Eight African American Artists in Venice - Martha Henry
WWW
American Folk Art Museum Presents Vision and Vernacular: Eight African American Artists in Venice Four Self-Taught Visionaries: Lonnie Holley, Mr. Imagination, Charlie Lucas, Kevin Sampson American culture, values and spirituality c ...
American Folk Art Museum Presents Vision and Vernacular: Eight African American Artists in Venice Four Self-Taught Visionaries: Lonnie Holley, Mr. Imagination, Charlie Lucas, Kevin Sampson American culture, values and spirituality c ...
W4422
25.05.2011
Drew Denny
WWW
After being diagnosed with a deadly brain tumor, I designed this architectural rendering for my brain as a house. I would construct an installation of my Brain House so that I might lead audiences through it as I perform my memories, fantasies, dreams ...
After being diagnosed with a deadly brain tumor, I designed this architectural rendering for my brain as a house. I would construct an installation of my Brain House so that I might lead audiences through it as I perform my memories, fantasies, dreams ...
U9997
16.01.1997
Nicht realisierte Projekte - Stefan Demary
Unbuilt Roads
Lieber Hans - Ulrich! Nochmals Danke für die nette Einlandung. In dem Buch, Meine normale Arbeitsweine mit meine künstlerischen Ideen for laufend auf listen zu schreiben. Diese werden zum Teil Jahre später erst realisiert, allendings zählt als jah ...
Lieber Hans - Ulrich! Nochmals Danke für die nette Einlandung. In dem Buch, Meine normale Arbeitsweine mit meine künstlerischen Ideen for laufend auf listen zu schreiben. Diese werden zum Teil Jahre später erst realisiert, allendings zählt als jah ...
W4539
25.05.2011
pour le C.C.C. - G.R. and M.F. for Le C.C.C.
WWW
G.R. et M.F pour le C.C.C. nous abordons ces côtes optiques par cette lettre intraduisible pour essayer de décrocher un peu d'argent, ou du moins poursuivre notre existence momentanée par votre lecture profane. Ayant montré un intérêt pour les ...
G.R. et M.F pour le C.C.C. nous abordons ces côtes optiques par cette lettre intraduisible pour essayer de décrocher un peu d'argent, ou du moins poursuivre notre existence momentanée par votre lecture profane. Ayant montré un intérêt pour les ...
W4377
25.05.2011
Judith Barry
WWW
Display: Museum of Signs, 1980 Installation proposal. Shopping Mall, Palo Alto, California 1980Mnemonic devices were used to transform a working-class shopping mall into a memory palace. The use of contemporary display techniques produces numerous desi ...
Display: Museum of Signs, 1980 Installation proposal. Shopping Mall, Palo Alto, California 1980Mnemonic devices were used to transform a working-class shopping mall into a memory palace. The use of contemporary display techniques produces numerous desi ...
W4016
22.05.2011
UNVEIL - Alessandro Rolandi
WWW
action-performance for Caochangdi Village project, spring 2011 1) With the help of several artists and local people from Caochangdi village,the message would be spread around of an artistic action involving the local people 2) After having bought arou ...
action-performance for Caochangdi Village project, spring 2011 1) With the help of several artists and local people from Caochangdi village,the message would be spread around of an artistic action involving the local people 2) After having bought arou ...
W4320
24.05.2011
Unrealized Project Title: Found Object: Robert Allen  - Antoinette LaFarge
WWW
Unrealized Project Title: Found Object: Robert Allen Initially proposed: 1991 Artist: Antoinette LaFarge Please refer to the accompanying JPEG from the original proposal. One day in 1991, I came across a flyer for a juried exhibition entitled “ ...
Unrealized Project Title: Found Object: Robert Allen Initially proposed: 1991 Artist: Antoinette LaFarge Please refer to the accompanying JPEG from the original proposal. One day in 1991, I came across a flyer for a juried exhibition entitled “ ...
W3621
14.05.2011
The 3 Muses of West Hollywood - Phil Tarley
WWW
Public Art For Street Installation in the City of West Hollywood, California ARTIST’S STATEMENT: THE 3 MUSES OF WEST HOLLYWOOD Who are we, the people of West Hollywood? Where do we come from? What do we do? As we live out our lives here ...
Public Art For Street Installation in the City of West Hollywood, California ARTIST’S STATEMENT: THE 3 MUSES OF WEST HOLLYWOOD Who are we, the people of West Hollywood? Where do we come from? What do we do? As we live out our lives here ...
W4744
26.05.2011
Gema Alava
WWW
Glenn D. Lowry Director The Museum of Modern Art 11 West 53rd Street New York, NY 10019 January 20, 2009 Dear Glenn, The best way I can think of introducing myself after the brief conversation with you tonight is to say that, ...
Glenn D. Lowry Director The Museum of Modern Art 11 West 53rd Street New York, NY 10019 January 20, 2009 Dear Glenn, The best way I can think of introducing myself after the brief conversation with you tonight is to say that, ...
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 ...
W3588
13.05.2011
Dulce Despertar - Soraya Marcano
WWW
Date started: February, 2010 Idea: El cafÈ como espacio creativo Definition: Cafe, CafÈ, CaffË a coffee house, a small restaurant selling coffee and sometimes other drinks or snack with a facility to consume them on the premises. A project ab ...
Date started: February, 2010 Idea: El cafÈ como espacio creativo Definition: Cafe, CafÈ, CaffË a coffee house, a small restaurant selling coffee and sometimes other drinks or snack with a facility to consume them on the premises. A project ab ...
W5379
19.10.2012
The naturalness of the artificial - Ana Pissarra
WWW
The naturalness of the artificial, Ana Pissarra This work explores associations between House and Domestic fantasy, always within a logic of ‘integration’. Thought games of association, the word House may bring about in us resonances that take the ...
The naturalness of the artificial, Ana Pissarra This work explores associations between House and Domestic fantasy, always within a logic of ‘integration’. Thought games of association, the word House may bring about in us resonances that take the ...
W4619
25.05.2011
Fly me to outer space  - Spiros Hadjidjanos
WWW
Fly me to outer space This project explores new power relations between a networked public and the artist as well as the process of funding an artwork through crowdfunding to its extreme. The idea of this project is a journey to outer space with the for ...
Fly me to outer space This project explores new power relations between a networked public and the artist as well as the process of funding an artwork through crowdfunding to its extreme. The idea of this project is a journey to outer space with the for ...
W3711
17.05.2011
Place Jacques-Cartier, Montréal 1990 (with Tony Fretton) - Mark Pimlott
WWW
This project proposed a monumental surface for Place Jacques-Cartier that resembled the streets an unconscious places that were typical of Montréal’s topography. The ground was conceived of as a portion of the granite shield that the city is built on, ...
This project proposed a monumental surface for Place Jacques-Cartier that resembled the streets an unconscious places that were typical of Montréal’s topography. The ground was conceived of as a portion of the granite shield that the city is built on, ...
W4403
25.05.2011
Landscape Follies - Eleanna Horiti
WWW
Landscape Follies A series that involves the creation of ‘new’ unnatural imaginary landscapes through a series of actions, such as excavations, exposure of strata and the creation of fake elements using natural materials. ...
Landscape Follies A series that involves the creation of ‘new’ unnatural imaginary landscapes through a series of actions, such as excavations, exposure of strata and the creation of fake elements using natural materials. ...
W4393
25.05.2011
Ground Control - Sylvia Schwenk
WWW
SYLVIA SCHWENK PROJECT CONCEPT STATEMENT Ground Control is a work of participatory performance art that will be presented in two stages. The first stage will be a live performance that will take place at night-time by everyday-people-cum-performers ...
SYLVIA SCHWENK PROJECT CONCEPT STATEMENT Ground Control is a work of participatory performance art that will be presented in two stages. The first stage will be a live performance that will take place at night-time by everyday-people-cum-performers ...
W10717
11.09.2014
Parallelle Projekte in der Stadt Münster, 1997 - Nicolaisen Terje
WWW
At my final year in the Academy I went to Münster to show my projects with Yellow Light. Should I wait till I am 60 to be invited or just go to the party uninvited? Kasper König made it clear to me in his office at Landesmuseum that this was a private p ...
At my final year in the Academy I went to Münster to show my projects with Yellow Light. Should I wait till I am 60 to be invited or just go to the party uninvited? Kasper König made it clear to me in his office at Landesmuseum that this was a private p ...
W4104
23.05.2011
On Level #02 - Håvard Pedersen
WWW
its center. The contrast of the die, which references gambling, and uncertainty with the absolute nature of a level were to pay tribute to the putty level of Marcel Duchamp. The die would be produced in an edition of 6 pairs, 12 die in total. ...
its center. The contrast of the die, which references gambling, and uncertainty with the absolute nature of a level were to pay tribute to the putty level of Marcel Duchamp. The die would be produced in an edition of 6 pairs, 12 die in total. ...
W4363
25.05.2011
Brandon Walls Olsen
WWW
Passing by the neighboring quarters of a sightseeing tour business named “Incredible Adventures”, I found that the acronymous vinyl lettering had been scratched from their door’s signage. Not knowing why a company would make such a nonsensical alter ...
Passing by the neighboring quarters of a sightseeing tour business named “Incredible Adventures”, I found that the acronymous vinyl lettering had been scratched from their door’s signage. Not knowing why a company would make such a nonsensical alter ...
U9833
01.01.1977
Square Depression - Bruce Nauman
Unbuilt Roads
Geplanter Standort: Naturwissenschaftliches Zentrum der Westfälischen Wilhelmsuniversität, Münster Material: Betonguß Maße: Tiefe 2,30 m, Breite 25,0 m, Länge 25,0 m Note The piece is a rhomboid square depres­sion with the p ...
Geplanter Standort: Naturwissenschaftliches Zentrum der Westfälischen Wilhelmsuniversität, Münster Material: Betonguß Maße: Tiefe 2,30 m, Breite 25,0 m, Länge 25,0 m Note The piece is a rhomboid square depres­sion with the p ...
W3931
20.05.2011
Random Identity Forum (“RIF”) - ANNA LASCARI
WWW
The “Identity Flag” can be reviewed at: www.annalascari.net/RIF Project Description “RIF” (Random Identity Forum) is an interactive installation that allows users to participate in and comment on the political and socio-economic policie ...
The “Identity Flag” can be reviewed at: www.annalascari.net/RIF Project Description “RIF” (Random Identity Forum) is an interactive installation that allows users to participate in and comment on the political and socio-economic policie ...
W5442
20.10.2012
GAZING BALL - Ann Daly
WWW
Ann Daly adaly@aya.yale.edu BUILDING DRAWING IV: "GAZING BALL" for the Crystal Palace, Retiro Park, Madrid, Spain: A giant stainless steel ball fabrication. Mirror-like surface reflects 'nature' - the surroundings- architecture-etc. An 'image' co ...
Ann Daly adaly@aya.yale.edu BUILDING DRAWING IV: "GAZING BALL" for the Crystal Palace, Retiro Park, Madrid, Spain: A giant stainless steel ball fabrication. Mirror-like surface reflects 'nature' - the surroundings- architecture-etc. An 'image' co ...
W4353
25.05.2011
Circular escalator - Ricardo Gomes
WWW
Circular escalator Through our research of the City of Perth’s master plan, the public success of the revitalization of Forrest Place not only depends upon the current restructuring already under way in the vicinity, but also upon the creation of a n ...
Circular escalator Through our research of the City of Perth’s master plan, the public success of the revitalization of Forrest Place not only depends upon the current restructuring already under way in the vicinity, but also upon the creation of a n ...
W4571
25.05.2011
Argh! - Paco Contreras
WWW
Tilted Argh! Since its inception the Roman civilization had exalted its leaders. Rome had always awaited the arrival of good news from its generals with great concern; in hope of securing protection of the Empire. The Romans were tremendously respect ...
Tilted Argh! Since its inception the Roman civilization had exalted its leaders. Rome had always awaited the arrival of good news from its generals with great concern; in hope of securing protection of the Empire. The Romans were tremendously respect ...
W5429
20.10.2012
imagined spaces - Stephen Cruise
WWW
Series entitled ‘imagined spaces’ begun in 2005 On-going. New works generated when site and form find their place. Stephen Cruise Willow dale ON Canada Image One 1 Raymond Drive - a re-visitation to a childhood home Image Two Blooming ...
Series entitled ‘imagined spaces’ begun in 2005 On-going. New works generated when site and form find their place. Stephen Cruise Willow dale ON Canada Image One 1 Raymond Drive - a re-visitation to a childhood home Image Two Blooming ...
W5343
18.10.2012
Unrealized project proposal for AUP  - Lito Kattou & Leontios Toumpouris
WWW
Unrealized project proposal for AUP Willing to continue investigating our relationship with natural components of the environment and expanding the development of the project in progress “Untitled dualism”, it would be a matter of great interest f ...
Unrealized project proposal for AUP Willing to continue investigating our relationship with natural components of the environment and expanding the development of the project in progress “Untitled dualism”, it would be a matter of great interest f ...