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.

"400" - Manfred Pernice

The Rosetta Garden - Gary Simmons

"Ileana, I love you" - Maurizo Cattelan

Jake and Dinos Chapman's five proposals for an empty plinth situated on central londons trafalgar square - Jake and Dinos Chapman

Unbetitelt, Gänse-Projekt + Noch unbetitelt , " Durch den Mund sehen " + Kartoffeln  - Carsten Holler

Financial Times Millennium Bridge Competition - Richard Serra and Frank Gehry

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

The lmprobable Flow - Larry Bell

The Clock - Ayse Erkmen

Catwalk - Sylive Fleury

Agency of Unrealised Projects
Logo by Liam Gillick
#
Date
Title
Source
Description
Tags
W3674
15.05.2011
The Warhol Machine - Johanna Thompson
WWW
The Warhol Machine is a mechanism that will bring 15 minutes of fame to everyone. It is an installation in Times Square, New York City, consisting of a video camera in a booth, a visitor inside the booth and in front of the camera and the already installe ...
The Warhol Machine is a mechanism that will bring 15 minutes of fame to everyone. It is an installation in Times Square, New York City, consisting of a video camera in a booth, a visitor inside the booth and in front of the camera and the already installe ...
U9958
01.01.1993
Project for the Initiative Mahnmal Homosexuellenverfolgung, Frankfurt  - Jeff Wall
Unbuilt Roads
My monument would be a free-standing structure, a life-size open air cafe-terrace that the public could enter. It is a 12-sided ellipse with two entrances, and would be a careful recreation of such a place in a style typical of the 1920s. It would be made ...
My monument would be a free-standing structure, a life-size open air cafe-terrace that the public could enter. It is a 12-sided ellipse with two entrances, and would be a careful recreation of such a place in a style typical of the 1920s. It would be made ...
W5164
25.09.2012
E-Motion Pictures - Ron Weijers
WWW
The ‘E-Motion Pictures’ project by the Dutch multi-disciplinary artist Ron Weijers, one could review as a series of mixed media video works that are only present in a specific set space and time – as opposed to his regular mixed-media paintings whic ...
The ‘E-Motion Pictures’ project by the Dutch multi-disciplinary artist Ron Weijers, one could review as a series of mixed media video works that are only present in a specific set space and time – as opposed to his regular mixed-media paintings whic ...
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 ...
W4061
23.05.2011
andreas guibert
WWW
The King of the changing faces Photo installation ...
The King of the changing faces Photo installation ...
W3539
11.05.2011
Grey Blob, 2010 - Alexandra Kennedy
WWW
Unrealised Project No. 2. Grey Blob, 2010. ‘Did you know that our planet is in imminent danger of being devoured by a giant grey blob? ...The world-consuming “grey goo” would actually be an uncontrollable mass of self-replicating, molecular- ...
Unrealised Project No. 2. Grey Blob, 2010. ‘Did you know that our planet is in imminent danger of being devoured by a giant grey blob? ...The world-consuming “grey goo” would actually be an uncontrollable mass of self-replicating, molecular- ...
W4847
08.08.2012
In Theater - James Brendan Williams
WWW
In Theater I’d like to propose a sculptural installation of silent television monitors each displaying a fixed view of a performance stage from around the world. Forty Sony Cubes or Hantarex EQs are to be stacked in the form of a four-sided pyrami ...
In Theater I’d like to propose a sculptural installation of silent television monitors each displaying a fixed view of a performance stage from around the world. Forty Sony Cubes or Hantarex EQs are to be stacked in the form of a four-sided pyrami ...
W4465
25.05.2011
ExoMars - Lyn Hagan
WWW
The European Space Agency (ESA) currently runs a space exploration programme called Aurora which includes a planned robotic mission to the surface of Mars. The ExoMars rover will be sent in 2018 to gather and analyse data they receive and includes a nu ...
The European Space Agency (ESA) currently runs a space exploration programme called Aurora which includes a planned robotic mission to the surface of Mars. The ExoMars rover will be sent in 2018 to gather and analyse data they receive and includes a nu ...
W5459
20.10.2012
Temporary Projection Installations for the Survivors of Atrocities. - Gavin Halm
WWW
Summary: Listings of the names of survivors (and their extended families through the present) are projected upon the walls and surrounding grounds of sites where atrocities have taken, or are currently taking, place. The thousands of names could be projec ...
Summary: Listings of the names of survivors (and their extended families through the present) are projected upon the walls and surrounding grounds of sites where atrocities have taken, or are currently taking, place. The thousands of names could be projec ...
W4865
09.08.2012
Advanced Public Tenement - Heman Chong & Anthony Marcellini
WWW
Advanced Public Tenement (APT) is project examining the future of low-income public housing programs developed by governments with rising population growth, used to house guest workers, displaced residents, or recent immigrants. This project will be guide ...
Advanced Public Tenement (APT) is project examining the future of low-income public housing programs developed by governments with rising population growth, used to house guest workers, displaced residents, or recent immigrants. This project will be guide ...
W3569
12.05.2011
National Address, Art Education for the public 1985  - Julianna Balogh
WWW
Concept Educating the public about the arts, all arts! With the help of the most powerful medium, mainstream television. Medium Projection of images from the history of art, starting with Nike of Samothrace. Location Highly visible location, pref ...
Concept Educating the public about the arts, all arts! With the help of the most powerful medium, mainstream television. Medium Projection of images from the history of art, starting with Nike of Samothrace. Location Highly visible location, pref ...
W4527
25.05.2011
Sculpture Installation - Jaime Szczepanski
WWW
Proposal 3: Sculpture Installation Location: Convention Center Boulevard, Canal Boulevard For this project, two standard bus stop shelters will be installed in two locations. The appearance, dimensions and scale of these awnings will match those seen ...
Proposal 3: Sculpture Installation Location: Convention Center Boulevard, Canal Boulevard For this project, two standard bus stop shelters will be installed in two locations. The appearance, dimensions and scale of these awnings will match those seen ...
W4354
25.05.2011
The Collider - Ivan Isaev, Nikita Spiridonov
WWW
At all times man’s course of life as a whole and spiritual in particular embodies in the art. There was many attempts in the history of art to curb the human essence, to understand the meaning of life, purpose, place in nature finally all human natur ...
At all times man’s course of life as a whole and spiritual in particular embodies in the art. There was many attempts in the history of art to curb the human essence, to understand the meaning of life, purpose, place in nature finally all human natur ...
W4857
08.08.2012
A Comedy Routine - Dan Riley
WWW
Comedy Routine A, is a comedy routine that was written but never performed, due to shyness and perhaps bad material... COMEDY ROUTINE A So, its been gettin’ real cold lately, jeez. [Optional: Have you guys been feeling this?] We went out and ...
Comedy Routine A, is a comedy routine that was written but never performed, due to shyness and perhaps bad material... COMEDY ROUTINE A So, its been gettin’ real cold lately, jeez. [Optional: Have you guys been feeling this?] We went out and ...
W4394
25.05.2011
MINILAND MANIFESTO  - Stephen Hobbs
WWW
MINILAND MANIFESTO Ongoing documentation of a number of our coastal cities’ incomplete highway networks has prompted a reading of the space between these structures. Aside from the parking lots and spectacular film settings they provide, they are pe ...
MINILAND MANIFESTO Ongoing documentation of a number of our coastal cities’ incomplete highway networks has prompted a reading of the space between these structures. Aside from the parking lots and spectacular film settings they provide, they are pe ...
W4389
25.05.2011
MegFord
WWW
This is a chart of a logic problem Joseph Kosuth presented in "Special Investigation". He called it "Complete Contents of Advertisement". I have provided the last line of the problem, completing the advertisement. ...
This is a chart of a logic problem Joseph Kosuth presented in "Special Investigation". He called it "Complete Contents of Advertisement". I have provided the last line of the problem, completing the advertisement. ...
W4153
23.05.2011
Unrealized Projects 1997 —2002 - Cornford & Cross
WWW
For us, a key function of contemporary art in an open society is to test concepts, assumptions and boundaries. One way we do this is through making site-specific work in public places; our projects are often satirical or polemic in nature, and involve a d ...
For us, a key function of contemporary art in an open society is to test concepts, assumptions and boundaries. One way we do this is through making site-specific work in public places; our projects are often satirical or polemic in nature, and involve a d ...
W4115
23.05.2011
Tropical Grotesque - Lara Stein Pardo
WWW
Deering Estate Foundation, Inc. Contact: Jennifer Tisthammer Artist: Lara Stein Pardo Project Summary Funding from the Harpo Foundation will be used to support an artist residency at the Deering Estate and the production of a new body of work by artist ...
Deering Estate Foundation, Inc. Contact: Jennifer Tisthammer Artist: Lara Stein Pardo Project Summary Funding from the Harpo Foundation will be used to support an artist residency at the Deering Estate and the production of a new body of work by artist ...
U9503
01.01.1997
NON REALIZED PROJECTS - Christo and Jeanne-Claude
Unbuilt Roads
1964-66 Two Lower Manhattan Wrapped Buildings, Project for New York, U.S.A. 1967 Wrapped Galleria Nazionale, Project for Rome, Italy. Ponte Sant' Angelo Wrapped, Project for Rome, Italy. Wrapped Trees, Project for Washington Pa ...
1964-66 Two Lower Manhattan Wrapped Buildings, Project for New York, U.S.A. 1967 Wrapped Galleria Nazionale, Project for Rome, Italy. Ponte Sant' Angelo Wrapped, Project for Rome, Italy. Wrapped Trees, Project for Washington Pa ...
U9617
01.07.1991
Project pour le parc de sculpture de Vassiviére - Paul-Armand Gette
Unbuilt Roads
Un bloc de granite choisi dans la partie boisée de l'île sera considéré comme étant le centre d'une circonférence de 25m. de rayon, qui, sans que cela soit indiqué sur place d'aucune façon, restera vierge de toutes interventions (aménagements, co ...
Un bloc de granite choisi dans la partie boisée de l'île sera considéré comme étant le centre d'une circonférence de 25m. de rayon, qui, sans que cela soit indiqué sur place d'aucune façon, restera vierge de toutes interventions (aménagements, co ...
W5090
10.09.2012
Glass Drummers Pavilion - Olivia Booth
WWW
Call for Unrealized Projects Olivia Booth September, 2012 oabooth@yahoo.com www.oliviabooth.net GLASS DRUMMERS PAVILION This repositionable glass drummer's pavilion is meant to latch on to the ground level of any international style ...
Call for Unrealized Projects Olivia Booth September, 2012 oabooth@yahoo.com www.oliviabooth.net GLASS DRUMMERS PAVILION This repositionable glass drummer's pavilion is meant to latch on to the ground level of any international style ...
W3764
18.05.2011
The Children of the Divine Understanding of All (1914-?): Documentation of a Forgotten Religion - Kevin Swenson
WWW
NEW COMERS Welcome, and do not be nervous, for you will soon broaden your understandings on every aspect of this life you have been given. Children of All do things very differently. We do not focus or dwell upon the wrong things we have done; instead, w ...
NEW COMERS Welcome, and do not be nervous, for you will soon broaden your understandings on every aspect of this life you have been given. Children of All do things very differently. We do not focus or dwell upon the wrong things we have done; instead, w ...
W4355
25.05.2011
Veil of Ignorance - James Bae
WWW
Veil of Ignorance The proposal is to hold a weekly discourse on the site of the now demolished Stadtschloß and Palast der Republik. The chosen site is heavily charged with history, having been the seat of the Brandenburg Electors, Prussian Kings, and ...
Veil of Ignorance The proposal is to hold a weekly discourse on the site of the now demolished Stadtschloß and Palast der Republik. The chosen site is heavily charged with history, having been the seat of the Brandenburg Electors, Prussian Kings, and ...
W4133
23.05.2011
Accumulation of space - Jerzy Olek
WWW
Jerzy Olek Accumulation of space – idea for an exhibition For me, space is a form of sculpture. It is generally formless, but its manifestations assume definite formal shapes. These forms—imagined, found, constructed—appear in my works as proj ...
Jerzy Olek Accumulation of space – idea for an exhibition For me, space is a form of sculpture. It is generally formless, but its manifestations assume definite formal shapes. These forms—imagined, found, constructed—appear in my works as proj ...
W4515
25.05.2011
Viktor Timofeev
WWW
In this painting I have "created" a triumphal arch constructed out of 13 worker-housing units, stacked precariously and defying the laws of physics. While this village/monument is rendered to appear structurally sound, its context is most certainly utopia ...
In this painting I have "created" a triumphal arch constructed out of 13 worker-housing units, stacked precariously and defying the laws of physics. While this village/monument is rendered to appear structurally sound, its context is most certainly utopia ...
W3759
18.05.2011
MAPPING OBSCUR A (MEMORY AND PLACE) - Yamini Nayar
WWW
Mapping Obscura - a Proposal for a Memorial to Partition Mapping obscura is a mobile memorial, a camera obscura that travels through landscape and into communities. Visitors are invited to enter the camera to compose photograms, arranging objects of pe ...
Mapping Obscura - a Proposal for a Memorial to Partition Mapping obscura is a mobile memorial, a camera obscura that travels through landscape and into communities. Visitors are invited to enter the camera to compose photograms, arranging objects of pe ...