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 World Record - General Idea

Prima del 73 - Fabio Mauri

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

Theater der Leere - Werner Ruhnau and Yves Klein

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

Arrangement Stroom HCBK Den Haag - Ange Leccia

Attitudine Diplomatica - Hermann Pitz

Entwurf für einen erneuerten Malkasten 1992 - 1994 - Ulrike Holthöfer

The Rosetta Garden - Gary Simmons

Douglas Gordon - 5 year drive-by; proposal for a public artwork.

Agency of Unrealised Projects
Logo by Liam Gillick
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Date
Title
Source
Description
Tags
W10252
10.04.2014
Contact - Bastiaan Arler
WWW
In the summer of 1975 a fresh wind blew over the world. At a distance of 225 km, in orbit around the Earth, the USA and the USSR made contact as two spacecraft docked together in a sign of peace. In an instant it lightened the spirit of all of those caugh ...
In the summer of 1975 a fresh wind blew over the world. At a distance of 225 km, in orbit around the Earth, the USA and the USSR made contact as two spacecraft docked together in a sign of peace. In an instant it lightened the spirit of all of those caugh ...
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, ...
W4361
25.05.2011
Drapeaux : Symboles d’identité (Flags : Symbols of Identity) - Alfonso Arzapalo
WWW
Drapeaux : Symboles d’identité (Flags : Symbols of Identity) Flag No. 44 From the series: Flags The project was a proposal for the Manif d'Art 2008, in Quebec City whose theme was "la rencontre" (the get together) and was part of the 400 anniv ...
Drapeaux : Symboles d’identité (Flags : Symbols of Identity) Flag No. 44 From the series: Flags The project was a proposal for the Manif d'Art 2008, in Quebec City whose theme was "la rencontre" (the get together) and was part of the 400 anniv ...
W4756
27.05.2011
“Collectors” Series - Soo Kim
WWW
Unfinished and ongoing project called "Collectors" -all kinds of things and creatures are collected, and create a melody and tune. Initial idea for “Collectors” series started after thinking how we miss unnoticeable things around surroundings, and th ...
Unfinished and ongoing project called "Collectors" -all kinds of things and creatures are collected, and create a melody and tune. Initial idea for “Collectors” series started after thinking how we miss unnoticeable things around surroundings, and th ...
W3845
19.05.2011
Interactive Playground - GH Hovagimyan
WWW
Abstract The interactive playground project consists of three works. 1. An interactive Seesaw 2. A jump rope machine 3. An interactive spiral slide The interactive seesaw has recently been completed as part of an LMCC residency at Governor’s ...
Abstract The interactive playground project consists of three works. 1. An interactive Seesaw 2. A jump rope machine 3. An interactive spiral slide The interactive seesaw has recently been completed as part of an LMCC residency at Governor’s ...
W4634
25.05.2011
Working for the Revolution. - Romulo Banares
WWW
Working for the Revolution. This project consists in working for the Revolution, with small actions, small changes, words. All artists work in some kind of misunderstood revolution around some personal or collective utopia. Revolution is a work in prog ...
Working for the Revolution. This project consists in working for the Revolution, with small actions, small changes, words. All artists work in some kind of misunderstood revolution around some personal or collective utopia. Revolution is a work in prog ...
W5270
13.10.2012
neomad - GrubyPunkt Urban Lab
WWW
TITLE: [neomad] AUTHOR: GrubyPunkt Urban Lab WWW: grubypunkt.tumblr.com Nomadism is the oldest lifestyle of human species. Human has been a nomad for the most part of his history. Mongols, Bedouins, Saamis still move their living space with t ...
TITLE: [neomad] AUTHOR: GrubyPunkt Urban Lab WWW: grubypunkt.tumblr.com Nomadism is the oldest lifestyle of human species. Human has been a nomad for the most part of his history. Mongols, Bedouins, Saamis still move their living space with t ...
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 ...
W4482
25.05.2011
Frontispiece  - Paul Landon
WWW
Frontispiece An unrealised project by Paul Landon On 1 August 1953, under Reorganization Plan No. 8, the United States Information Agency (USIA) was created as an independent organization within the Executive Branch responsible for the U.S. governmentʼ ...
Frontispiece An unrealised project by Paul Landon On 1 August 1953, under Reorganization Plan No. 8, the United States Information Agency (USIA) was created as an independent organization within the Executive Branch responsible for the U.S. governmentʼ ...
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 ...
W5450
20.10.2012
BUILDING DRAWING III: “NO-PLACE SPACE” - Ann Daly
WWW
Ann Daly adaly@aya.yale.edu BUILDING DRAWING III: “NO-PLACE SPACE” A house or room, housed elsewhere. A large room or rectangular structure set within another space, so that one can see the outside of it and move into its interior. A more ambit ...
Ann Daly adaly@aya.yale.edu BUILDING DRAWING III: “NO-PLACE SPACE” A house or room, housed elsewhere. A large room or rectangular structure set within another space, so that one can see the outside of it and move into its interior. A more ambit ...
W3981
21.05.2011
Stuart Keeler
WWW
Aurora is a sculptural work that connects the citizen to the street with seating, lighting and sculptural forms. The work offers daytime and nighttime animation with a sculptural gesture of the familiar forms. Powered by a series of low wattage LED light ...
Aurora is a sculptural work that connects the citizen to the street with seating, lighting and sculptural forms. The work offers daytime and nighttime animation with a sculptural gesture of the familiar forms. Powered by a series of low wattage LED light ...
W4510
25.05.2011
THE SHIP OF NO PLACE - Yu-Chen Wang
WWW
THE SHIP OF NO PLACE Inspired by Thomas More’s 1615 fiction, Utopia – travelers’ voyages of discovering the new utopian island. The Ship of No Place is an artist traveling residency project taking place on a crew ship. The ship will set up its jo ...
THE SHIP OF NO PLACE Inspired by Thomas More’s 1615 fiction, Utopia – travelers’ voyages of discovering the new utopian island. The Ship of No Place is an artist traveling residency project taking place on a crew ship. The ship will set up its jo ...
W3645
15.05.2011
Provincetown, Cape Cod, MA USA. 2006 - Jay Critchley
WWW
Provincetown, Cape Cod, MA USA. 2006 Martucket Eyeland Resort & Theme Park Following on the heels of the controversial industrial wind farm proposed for Nantucket Sound, a dramatic “third eyeland” resort and theme park has been proposed for the ...
Provincetown, Cape Cod, MA USA. 2006 Martucket Eyeland Resort & Theme Park Following on the heels of the controversial industrial wind farm proposed for Nantucket Sound, a dramatic “third eyeland” resort and theme park has been proposed for the ...
U9567
01.01.1995
Museum - Katharina Fritsch
Unbuilt Roads
Beschreibung des Modells bitte dem Katalog "Katharina Fritsch, Museum, Biennale Venedig 1995" entnehmen. (Erster Abschnitt: Modell 1:10) Der Katalog ist bei Cantz in Stuttgart gedruckt. Previous Publications (?) Katalog der Biennale Venedig 1995 (s ...
Beschreibung des Modells bitte dem Katalog "Katharina Fritsch, Museum, Biennale Venedig 1995" entnehmen. (Erster Abschnitt: Modell 1:10) Der Katalog ist bei Cantz in Stuttgart gedruckt. Previous Publications (?) Katalog der Biennale Venedig 1995 (s ...
W4162
23.05.2011
Claire Ferguson
WWW
a man catches a glimpse of a woman. he thinks of her for a few seconds and then doesn’t. she is just someone he has seen. some time later, he sees her again. this time for longer. only for a few seconds longer. he thinks about her for longer. at first, ...
a man catches a glimpse of a woman. he thinks of her for a few seconds and then doesn’t. she is just someone he has seen. some time later, he sees her again. this time for longer. only for a few seconds longer. he thinks about her for longer. at first, ...
W5402
20.10.2012
AHIMSA  - Tiziana Pers
WWW
The project is composed by a series of photograph, a performance, and an installation that will remain after the action. Ahimsa is an ancient Sanskrit term meaning 'do not harm' (literally: the avoidance of violence - himsa). It is an important tenet of t ...
The project is composed by a series of photograph, a performance, and an installation that will remain after the action. Ahimsa is an ancient Sanskrit term meaning 'do not harm' (literally: the avoidance of violence - himsa). It is an important tenet of t ...
U9731
01.01.1988
Tower Cranes, Paris  - Tadashi Kawamata
Unbuilt Roads
Please see the enclosed leaflet· "Tower Crane, Paris" (eventually reasons why the work has not been realised) Financial, technical and organisation problems Previous Publications (?) Enclosed ...
Please see the enclosed leaflet· "Tower Crane, Paris" (eventually reasons why the work has not been realised) Financial, technical and organisation problems Previous Publications (?) Enclosed ...
W3540
11.05.2011
New Bridge for Dilligence  - Tomas Pecha
WWW
new bridge for dilligence beer bridge for oversitting. sitting on more chairs, oversitting from place to placeinstead of direct movement and compulsory czech beer.some ideas are thirsty.some need to be oversitted. tommorrow reality. intention of new bri ...
new bridge for dilligence beer bridge for oversitting. sitting on more chairs, oversitting from place to placeinstead of direct movement and compulsory czech beer.some ideas are thirsty.some need to be oversitted. tommorrow reality. intention of new bri ...
W4627
25.05.2011
REMEMBERING HUMANITY - laura j padgett
WWW
REMEMBERING HUMANITY: Reflections on the Work of Bruno Taut This proposal is a visual / textual analysis of an attitude: An attitude of commitment to and belief in mankind, as a result of and despite political, social and economic conditions. BACKGROUND B ...
REMEMBERING HUMANITY: Reflections on the Work of Bruno Taut This proposal is a visual / textual analysis of an attitude: An attitude of commitment to and belief in mankind, as a result of and despite political, social and economic conditions. BACKGROUND B ...
W4200
24.05.2011
Money what else - Angelo Ricciardi
WWW
My projects are often unrealized projects. Many and different the reasons. Practical difficulties, like the lack of money, the lack of a physical suitable space, of real opportunities, are certainly present and important, but, at the end, surmountable. Mo ...
My projects are often unrealized projects. Many and different the reasons. Practical difficulties, like the lack of money, the lack of a physical suitable space, of real opportunities, are certainly present and important, but, at the end, surmountable. Mo ...
W4049
22.05.2011
Geno project - Leo Morrissey
WWW
Ten years ago in a museum in Milan Italy it was pointed out to me that there was an uncanny resemblance between myself and one of the multitude of Roman marble bust sculptures in the museum… This moment got me thinking about the connections between peop ...
Ten years ago in a museum in Milan Italy it was pointed out to me that there was an uncanny resemblance between myself and one of the multitude of Roman marble bust sculptures in the museum… This moment got me thinking about the connections between peop ...
W5129
19.09.2012
SFAI Project Proposal - Leo Morrissey
WWW
SFAI Project Proposal. (2012) The project will entail spending one day walking throughout various neighborhoods in San Francisco. Through out the day I will digitally document various manhole covers, utility covers, water meter covers, etc…. ...
SFAI Project Proposal. (2012) The project will entail spending one day walking throughout various neighborhoods in San Francisco. Through out the day I will digitally document various manhole covers, utility covers, water meter covers, etc…. ...
W3871
19.05.2011
Shimon Attie
WWW
I propose to create a site-specific Installation, to be sited in Oslo, Norway, and presented during the annual Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony. The Artwork will be a large scale Installation that gives ethereal and arresting visual form to the story and tale o ...
I propose to create a site-specific Installation, to be sited in Oslo, Norway, and presented during the annual Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony. The Artwork will be a large scale Installation that gives ethereal and arresting visual form to the story and tale o ...
W5238
09.10.2012
Nicole De Brabandere
WWW
AUP - Berliner Künstlerprogramm/ DAAD Nicole De Brabandere In 2009 I put in motion the possibility of amassing all of the doorknobs from an institutional building that was slated for demolition. After many phone calls to various authorities I disco ...
AUP - Berliner Künstlerprogramm/ DAAD Nicole De Brabandere In 2009 I put in motion the possibility of amassing all of the doorknobs from an institutional building that was slated for demolition. After many phone calls to various authorities I disco ...
W4235
24.05.2011
STRESS - Fred Perie
WWW
STRESS is fictitious industrial construction, whose only aim is to draw a perfectly straight red line that strikes through a wide landscape on the banks of Loire river estuary. It is drawn over 2 km between an oil refinery and some isolated grove, where i ...
STRESS is fictitious industrial construction, whose only aim is to draw a perfectly straight red line that strikes through a wide landscape on the banks of Loire river estuary. It is drawn over 2 km between an oil refinery and some isolated grove, where i ...