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.

Catwalk - Sylive Fleury

PROJEKT - Ulrich Rückreim

Progetto per Gerry Schum - Guiseppe Penone

Eight Days a Week - Joe Scanlan

Messages to the Public - Nancy Spero

<A Public Misery Message> - Critical Art Ensemble

Time Magazine Cover - Robert Rauschenberg

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

"400" - Manfred Pernice

A House of Dust - Alison Knowles

Agency of Unrealised Projects
Logo by Liam Gillick
#
Date
Title
Source
Description
Tags
U9258
01.01.1966
Uncompleted 1966 - and on  - John Armleder
Unbuilt Roads
I have not kept track of most of my umcompleted projects (and many of the completed ones - ) I believe this is quite alright - Most of what has never been done was either to boring, inconvenient, incorrect, or whatever - no regrets. Some projects made h ...
I have not kept track of most of my umcompleted projects (and many of the completed ones - ) I believe this is quite alright - Most of what has never been done was either to boring, inconvenient, incorrect, or whatever - no regrets. Some projects made h ...
W4992
29.08.2012
Juvena 17 - David Evrard
WWW
Juvena 17 was a project in the public space i win, 5 years ago or something. It was to make something regarding the construction of a new cultural center in the city of Soignies, Belgium. My proposition was to make 4 number of a newspaper, distributed in ...
Juvena 17 was a project in the public space i win, 5 years ago or something. It was to make something regarding the construction of a new cultural center in the city of Soignies, Belgium. My proposition was to make 4 number of a newspaper, distributed in ...
W4137
23.05.2011
Ann McCoy
WWW
THE PFAUENINSEL PROJECT The Transformation of the King and the Alchemist of Pfaueninsel The alchemists were not simply chemists; they developed a symbolic language to describe psychological transformation in a time before psychoanalysis. ...
THE PFAUENINSEL PROJECT The Transformation of the King and the Alchemist of Pfaueninsel The alchemists were not simply chemists; they developed a symbolic language to describe psychological transformation in a time before psychoanalysis. ...
W4456
25.05.2011
Heaven on Earth: A room for reflection. - Leila Peacock
WWW
Heaven on Earth: A room for reflection. Lucretirus rendered his scientific theories in epic poetry, an intellect of extraordinary vision he imagined many things that would later be proved. He was the master of the thought experiment, staging complex pr ...
Heaven on Earth: A room for reflection. Lucretirus rendered his scientific theories in epic poetry, an intellect of extraordinary vision he imagined many things that would later be proved. He was the master of the thought experiment, staging complex pr ...
W5382
19.10.2012
Marina Stavrou
WWW
By Marina Stavrou The ‘Unrealized project’ I am foreshadowing made its first ‘appearance’ first in 2011. The work tried to make visible the experience of keeping a secret. This secret took the form of bread for the shooting of a 16mm and ...
By Marina Stavrou The ‘Unrealized project’ I am foreshadowing made its first ‘appearance’ first in 2011. The work tried to make visible the experience of keeping a secret. This secret took the form of bread for the shooting of a 16mm and ...
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. ...
W4450
25.05.2011
Crackpot Ideas. - Jasmine Lockhart
WWW
Crackpot Ideas. Inspired by the ability of conspiracy theorists to build their conviction based on the accumulation of hit and miss occurrence. And also by a humoured cynicism directed at the trend of rubbish as found object art. I started collecting p ...
Crackpot Ideas. Inspired by the ability of conspiracy theorists to build their conviction based on the accumulation of hit and miss occurrence. And also by a humoured cynicism directed at the trend of rubbish as found object art. I started collecting p ...
W4684
26.05.2011
forever pets  - Gregory Alan Thornbury
WWW
forever pets The other day I found myself delighted with how well behaved my friends dog was. Their dog, Molly, was not up on the couch sniffing my crotch or licking me in the face, but laid neatly curled asleep beside the hearth. After an hour of uni ...
forever pets The other day I found myself delighted with how well behaved my friends dog was. Their dog, Molly, was not up on the couch sniffing my crotch or licking me in the face, but laid neatly curled asleep beside the hearth. After an hour of uni ...
W5119
18.09.2012
The Screenshot Project - Lisa De Boeck
WWW
The Screenshot Project After years of photographing and digital manipulation, I felt that I needed a bit more roughness, the imperfect roughness you have when using software in an unconventional way. ...
The Screenshot Project After years of photographing and digital manipulation, I felt that I needed a bit more roughness, the imperfect roughness you have when using software in an unconventional way. ...
W10685
01.01.1998
THE CLOUD ROOM - ADAM KALINOWSKI
WWW
Project for kinetic outdoor sculpture. Total dimensions: 1800x3500x3000cm. Dimensions of the orange structure: 500 x 720 x 540 cm. Model in 1:8 scale. Steel, aluminum, heavy fabric, aircraft cable, and propellers with reduction gears. Propellers are ...
Project for kinetic outdoor sculpture. Total dimensions: 1800x3500x3000cm. Dimensions of the orange structure: 500 x 720 x 540 cm. Model in 1:8 scale. Steel, aluminum, heavy fabric, aircraft cable, and propellers with reduction gears. Propellers are ...
W4712
26.05.2011
LISTE ROUGE [MEMORIAL FOR THE DISAPPEARED]  - spmb [Eduardo Aquino & Karen Shanski]
WWW
LISTE ROUGE [MEMORIAL FOR THE DISAPPEARED] is a proposal by spmb for the City of Geneva’s 2011 Neons Competition. Starting from the observation that the Geneva Ecological Region has lost seven flower species to urban development in the past decades, we ...
LISTE ROUGE [MEMORIAL FOR THE DISAPPEARED] is a proposal by spmb for the City of Geneva’s 2011 Neons Competition. Starting from the observation that the Geneva Ecological Region has lost seven flower species to urban development in the past decades, we ...
W4719
26.05.2011
We Might Be Snowmakers - Glacial Risk Management Institute (GRMI): Angela Ellsworth and Leigh McCarthy
WWW
Glacial Risk Management Institute (GRMI): Angela Ellsworth and Leigh McCarthy Title: We Might Be Snowmakers In order to slow or reverse the retreat of glaciers, the GRMI proposes setting up large-scale snow blowers to increase the size of Europe’s la ...
Glacial Risk Management Institute (GRMI): Angela Ellsworth and Leigh McCarthy Title: We Might Be Snowmakers In order to slow or reverse the retreat of glaciers, the GRMI proposes setting up large-scale snow blowers to increase the size of Europe’s la ...
W3728
17.05.2011
Mount of Olives - Felippe Moraes
WWW
The project "Mount of Olives" is constituted by seven scaffolds with different heights, each one with an olive tree in a wooden box with earth inside in the top. The trees must be kept alive by an automatic irrigation system. ...
The project "Mount of Olives" is constituted by seven scaffolds with different heights, each one with an olive tree in a wooden box with earth inside in the top. The trees must be kept alive by an automatic irrigation system. ...
W5112
16.09.2012
The Cactus Room - Javier Tapia
WWW
THE CAUCUS ROOM Project proposal for OVERGADEN By Javier Tapia The authentic moment of discovery, the breakthrough, occurs when a properly universal dimension explodes from within a particular context and becomes “for itself”, and is directly ex ...
THE CAUCUS ROOM Project proposal for OVERGADEN By Javier Tapia The authentic moment of discovery, the breakthrough, occurs when a properly universal dimension explodes from within a particular context and becomes “for itself”, and is directly ex ...
W3817
19.05.2011
Igor Eugen Prokop
WWW
„Igor Eugen Prokop creates sumptuously colored images created with an unusual pairing of mixed media and acrylic on glass or canvas. These are incredibly energetic works, grasping our awareness and plunging us into a spectacular, glittering cosmos. ...
„Igor Eugen Prokop creates sumptuously colored images created with an unusual pairing of mixed media and acrylic on glass or canvas. These are incredibly energetic works, grasping our awareness and plunging us into a spectacular, glittering cosmos. ...
W4193
24.05.2011
Matthew Mitchell
WWW
1992-93 unrealized site specific installation of a New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority map into a New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority subway train car. ...
1992-93 unrealized site specific installation of a New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority map into a New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority subway train car. ...
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 ...
W5774
03.07.2013
TWEETSCULPTURE: “WE TWEET SCULPTURES” - Tweetsculpture
WWW
https://twitter.com/tweetsculpture In 1969, Douglas Huebler wrote “The world is full of objects, more or less interesting, I do not wish to add any more.” Since early january 2012 five writers / artists (between the ages of 24 and 60) create s ...
https://twitter.com/tweetsculpture In 1969, Douglas Huebler wrote “The world is full of objects, more or less interesting, I do not wish to add any more.” Since early january 2012 five writers / artists (between the ages of 24 and 60) create s ...
U10002
01.01.1989
La Guerra De Los Simbolos - Victor Grippo
Unbuilt Roads
Una larga mesa, no necesariamente recta adaptada a las condiciones del espacio de exhibición, de 30 cm de ancho y longitud variable sobre la que estarà una larga "maqueta" construida con yeso blanco, de "paisa jes" urbanos conteniedo, edificios y simbol ...
Una larga mesa, no necesariamente recta adaptada a las condiciones del espacio de exhibición, de 30 cm de ancho y longitud variable sobre la que estarà una larga "maqueta" construida con yeso blanco, de "paisa jes" urbanos conteniedo, edificios y simbol ...
W4752
27.05.2011
Abstract Shapes & Forms - G.F. Zaimis
WWW
Statement Blurring boundaries of art and architecture, G.F. Zaimis work explores the nature of shape and form from the most minimal to monumental, abstract to literal, painting to photography. The essence of her work addresses architecture’s shap ...
Statement Blurring boundaries of art and architecture, G.F. Zaimis work explores the nature of shape and form from the most minimal to monumental, abstract to literal, painting to photography. The essence of her work addresses architecture’s shap ...
W5141
21.09.2012
arrays - Steffen Kasperavicius
WWW
ARRAYS „Heutzutage ist kaum etwas realistischer als Utopien“ (Thornton Wilder, 1887-1975) Als diplomierter Medienkünstler interessiere ich mich bereits seit mehreren Jahren für die MinimalArt- und ConceptualArt-Tendenzen der 60er und 70er Jahre. I ...
ARRAYS „Heutzutage ist kaum etwas realistischer als Utopien“ (Thornton Wilder, 1887-1975) Als diplomierter Medienkünstler interessiere ich mich bereits seit mehreren Jahren für die MinimalArt- und ConceptualArt-Tendenzen der 60er und 70er Jahre. I ...
W5423
20.10.2012
Summerhouse - Tom Hollenback
WWW
Summerhouse ©Tom Hollenback, 2011 (Revised) This proposal is for the construction of a temporary outdoor installation during the winter months at a public park in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Tentatively titled Summerhouse, I envision the work as a small p ...
Summerhouse ©Tom Hollenback, 2011 (Revised) This proposal is for the construction of a temporary outdoor installation during the winter months at a public park in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Tentatively titled Summerhouse, I envision the work as a small p ...
W3998
21.05.2011
A GARDEN INSIDE INSTITUTIONS - Jana Leo De Blas
WWW
GREEN & WET Angel Borrego & Jana Leo Repetition and Acumulation. The wall is made out of individual plants. Each plant is pretty similar to another But, at the same time, different. For long term installations, a person could sponsors one or more p ...
GREEN & WET Angel Borrego & Jana Leo Repetition and Acumulation. The wall is made out of individual plants. Each plant is pretty similar to another But, at the same time, different. For long term installations, a person could sponsors one or more p ...
U9562
01.01.1994
Catwalk - Sylive Fleury
Unbuilt Roads
An outdoor concrete sculpture, yet uncompleted. This minimal sculpture is to be built using the traditional catwalk runway model, as in use for most fashion shows. Although adaptable, it should be constructed according to standard proportions, in a ...
An outdoor concrete sculpture, yet uncompleted. This minimal sculpture is to be built using the traditional catwalk runway model, as in use for most fashion shows. Although adaptable, it should be constructed according to standard proportions, in a ...
U9701
01.01.1994
Festival du film de famille - Pierre Huyghe
Unbuilt Roads
Le Festival du film de famille est un événement qui séted sur 3 jours, c'est le pant de dipart d'une dénie partagée qui peut se répéter sur plusieurs [arnisé?]. Une communanté affactive [illisible] son [basan?] d'histories par sa propre producti ...
Le Festival du film de famille est un événement qui séted sur 3 jours, c'est le pant de dipart d'une dénie partagée qui peut se répéter sur plusieurs [arnisé?]. Une communanté affactive [illisible] son [basan?] d'histories par sa propre producti ...
W4140
23.05.2011
Projections on Paintings - Rebecca Sherman
WWW
Projections on Paintings displays a dialogue between moving and still images to generate unpredictable visuals in real time. It includes several large-scale mix media paintings of architectural constructions that extend into a scaffolding installation o ...
Projections on Paintings displays a dialogue between moving and still images to generate unpredictable visuals in real time. It includes several large-scale mix media paintings of architectural constructions that extend into a scaffolding installation o ...