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.

Isometric Projection - Sol Lewitt

119. PROJET DE DESTRUCTION DU MUSEE 1970 - 1971 - Jef Geys

Relatum (Iron Plate and Stone) - Lee Ufan

Nicht realisierte Projekte - Stefan Demary

The bridge according to Jeong-a's dream - Koo Jeong

A House of Dust - Alison Knowles

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

Theater der Leere - Werner Ruhnau and Yves Klein

Monument to Democracy - Kounellis

Unrealized Projects - Jonas Meckas

Agency of Unrealised Projects
Logo by Liam Gillick
#
Date
Title
Source
Description
Tags
W3974
21.05.2011
CLIFF PIPES PROPOSAL - Jason de Haan
WWW
A proposal for a set of organ pipes to be mounted on the face of an oceanic cliff. The pipes are to be mounted vertically on simple steel rods that are strategically placed along a section of cliff in order to translate strong vertical updrafts into indiv ...
A proposal for a set of organ pipes to be mounted on the face of an oceanic cliff. The pipes are to be mounted vertically on simple steel rods that are strategically placed along a section of cliff in order to translate strong vertical updrafts into indiv ...
W5073
05.09.2012
Not So Easy - Emilio Rojas in collaboration with Patrick Blaeser
WWW
To a viewer of a unrealized project To the viewer This is a letter of apology to you - the viewer- for a work of art that is missing, and At the time that the issue of working together was brought forward, I was not in the perhaps will never happen. O ...
To a viewer of a unrealized project To the viewer This is a letter of apology to you - the viewer- for a work of art that is missing, and At the time that the issue of working together was brought forward, I was not in the perhaps will never happen. O ...
W5259
12.10.2012
Kusmi Tea Sweet Love - Rosana Sancin
WWW
Kusmi Tea Sweet Love Concept and Location:. The project Kusmi Tea Sweet Love is a collaboration between a curator, lawyer, architect and a filmmaker based on the research conducted in Lisbon's multicultural ...
Kusmi Tea Sweet Love Concept and Location:. The project Kusmi Tea Sweet Love is a collaboration between a curator, lawyer, architect and a filmmaker based on the research conducted in Lisbon's multicultural ...
W4799
10.11.2011
Test
WWW
This is a test. Please ignore. ...
This is a test. Please ignore. ...
W4271
24.05.2011
Kristin Jones / Andrew Ginzel
WWW
Oregon Convention Center Proposal Portland, Oregon 1988 ...
Oregon Convention Center Proposal Portland, Oregon 1988 ...
W3589
13.05.2011
Failed Music Store - Luke Munn
WWW
Work Description: In this proposed project for Watermans, 1000 bargain bin CDs are purchased and made available to visitors to browse, playback and take-away if they wish. Rather than a constantly updated library of the latest hits, these albums are the ...
Work Description: In this proposed project for Watermans, 1000 bargain bin CDs are purchased and made available to visitors to browse, playback and take-away if they wish. Rather than a constantly updated library of the latest hits, these albums are the ...
U9665
01.01.1967
Unrealized Turtles 1967 - Joseph Grigely
Unbuilt Roads
Basically, a short history about why I never became an illustrator of turtles - of wild animals - or of anything else At Birchland Park School, Mrs. Donahue taught art and Mrs. Corliss taught music. The art classes were okay because I drew turtles all ...
Basically, a short history about why I never became an illustrator of turtles - of wild animals - or of anything else At Birchland Park School, Mrs. Donahue taught art and Mrs. Corliss taught music. The art classes were okay because I drew turtles all ...
W4386
25.05.2011
MARTINEZ PETROPOULOS WHITE
WWW
THIS ISA NICE NEIGHBORHOOD - unrealized Moscone Center/Howard Street Project for a large scale urban public artwork selected thru competition by the Arts Commission of San Francisco. ...
THIS ISA NICE NEIGHBORHOOD - unrealized Moscone Center/Howard Street Project for a large scale urban public artwork selected thru competition by the Arts Commission of San Francisco. ...
W3772
18.05.2011
Mirek Lumens Proposal 2007, Mirek Chicago Proposal 2006 - Robert Mirek
WWW
Mirek Lumens Proposal 2007 Mirek Chicago Proposal 2006 ...
Mirek Lumens Proposal 2007 Mirek Chicago Proposal 2006 ...
W4212
24.05.2011
Louvre - Gábor Ösz
WWW
Introduction A few years ago, when I first visited the Louvre, I was surprised to see that the signposts giving directions for the painting La Gioconda already started at the gates. As I was to learn later, there exists a form of cultural pilgrimage t ...
Introduction A few years ago, when I first visited the Louvre, I was surprised to see that the signposts giving directions for the painting La Gioconda already started at the gates. As I was to learn later, there exists a form of cultural pilgrimage t ...
W5400
20.10.2012
WHITE CUBE RESEARCH - Pascal Unbehaun
WWW
This project was never realized. My work is close to theory, so the idea was to work in a temporary research institute in the exhibition context. I wanted to invite fellow researchers to work together. Finally, after the show ended, we would publish our r ...
This project was never realized. My work is close to theory, so the idea was to work in a temporary research institute in the exhibition context. I wanted to invite fellow researchers to work together. Finally, after the show ended, we would publish our r ...
W5170
26.09.2012
Jessica Li
WWW
An online database of all the words I know and all the words I think I know along with their respective pronunciations, definitions, and usages. This collection would house all words in all the languages I think I know and be organized by the chronologica ...
An online database of all the words I know and all the words I think I know along with their respective pronunciations, definitions, and usages. This collection would house all words in all the languages I think I know and be organized by the chronologica ...
W3486
11.05.2011
There is a major problem in Australia
WWW
TWO IMAGES OF WHAT I CALL THE ENDLESS CHARACTER OF A NATURE FULL OF NATIVES. I DONT THINK THIS WILL OR COULD BE EVER FINISHED BECAUSE TO ME THEY WERE BORN BY THE TIME THEY DIED. SO THEY REMAIN A PHOTOGRAPH THAT NEED A STILL LIFE SHOT. ...
TWO IMAGES OF WHAT I CALL THE ENDLESS CHARACTER OF A NATURE FULL OF NATIVES. I DONT THINK THIS WILL OR COULD BE EVER FINISHED BECAUSE TO ME THEY WERE BORN BY THE TIME THEY DIED. SO THEY REMAIN A PHOTOGRAPH THAT NEED A STILL LIFE SHOT. ...
W3773
18.05.2011
MEMORY OF AN UTOPIA Graphic Novel of the Popular Government in Chile, 1970-1973 - Luis Guerra
WWW
Introduction During 2003 and 2004, I was working at the The National Commission on Political Imprisonment and Torture Report, the Valech Commission, a Governmental institution created by former President Ricardo Lagos. My work at the Commission consist ...
Introduction During 2003 and 2004, I was working at the The National Commission on Political Imprisonment and Torture Report, the Valech Commission, a Governmental institution created by former President Ricardo Lagos. My work at the Commission consist ...
W4086
23.05.2011
Revolution Tree - Grace Weir
WWW
Revolution Tree consists of the siting of a large mature Oak tree, where its rootball is planted in a purpose built container that is extremely slowly continuously revolving. The container and all mechanics are hidden underground and the work is completel ...
Revolution Tree consists of the siting of a large mature Oak tree, where its rootball is planted in a purpose built container that is extremely slowly continuously revolving. The container and all mechanics are hidden underground and the work is completel ...
W4435
25.05.2011
"Jello Cube," or "Eat Your Way In": - "Jello Cube," or "Eat Your Way In"
WWW
"Jello Cube," or "Eat Your Way In": A solid block of strawberry Jello will be installed on location at Actual Size Los Angeles. This sculpture/ installation will measure 1,690 cubic feet and will occupy the 2,250 cubic foot gallery with a 1 foot periph ...
"Jello Cube," or "Eat Your Way In": A solid block of strawberry Jello will be installed on location at Actual Size Los Angeles. This sculpture/ installation will measure 1,690 cubic feet and will occupy the 2,250 cubic foot gallery with a 1 foot periph ...
W4602
25.05.2011
Alexander Vaindorf
WWW
"In the Shadow of the Monument" 2009 PROPOSAL # 2 Images from the solo exhibition at Art Center Gävle, Sweden. And a temporary public monument "In the shadow of the double" in City Hall Courtyard in the city of Gävle, Sweden. more info http://a ...
"In the Shadow of the Monument" 2009 PROPOSAL # 2 Images from the solo exhibition at Art Center Gävle, Sweden. And a temporary public monument "In the shadow of the double" in City Hall Courtyard in the city of Gävle, Sweden. more info http://a ...
W4794
14.06.2011
The Biggest Painting - Joost van Oss
WWW
The biggest painting. ...
W4579
25.05.2011
URBAN ENTANGLEMENT - Annita Koutsonanou | Evy Tsolaki | Maria Spaniola
WWW
URBAN ENTANGLEMENT …I thought of a maze of mazes, of a sinuous, ever growing maze which would take in both past and future and would somehow involve the stars [..]. I thought that a man might be an enemy of other men, of the different moment of other ...
URBAN ENTANGLEMENT …I thought of a maze of mazes, of a sinuous, ever growing maze which would take in both past and future and would somehow involve the stars [..]. I thought that a man might be an enemy of other men, of the different moment of other ...
W3891
20.05.2011
The Library of Audio Visual and Textual Sources of Inspiration and Motivation (LAVTSIM) - Corey Escoto
WWW
The Library of Audio Visual and Textual Sources of Inspiration and Motivation (LAVTSIM) is an unrealized organization dedicated to the collecting and display of information of motivational (fear based) and inspirational (coming from some unconscious creat ...
The Library of Audio Visual and Textual Sources of Inspiration and Motivation (LAVTSIM) is an unrealized organization dedicated to the collecting and display of information of motivational (fear based) and inspirational (coming from some unconscious creat ...
W3570
12.05.2011
Structures of Deceit - Julianna Balogh
WWW
Address to the Art World 2000 "Art has been defined over and over as man's highest spiritual expression, and in one respect superior to religion in that it is the only activity that does not lead to killing; it is in fact the redeemer of an otherwise e ...
Address to the Art World 2000 "Art has been defined over and over as man's highest spiritual expression, and in one respect superior to religion in that it is the only activity that does not lead to killing; it is in fact the redeemer of an otherwise e ...
U9660
01.01.1995
Double Exposure 1995-6  - Dan Graham
Unbuilt Roads
This pavilion is enterable through a sliding 2-way mirror door in one side, is sited in a landscape with some trees, a large visible vista. The 4m x 4m x 4m pavilion has two 2-way mirror sides. The third side is a cibachrome transparency which shows th ...
This pavilion is enterable through a sliding 2-way mirror door in one side, is sited in a landscape with some trees, a large visible vista. The 4m x 4m x 4m pavilion has two 2-way mirror sides. The third side is a cibachrome transparency which shows th ...
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 ...
W10455
24.04.2014
Three Little Words - Allison Malinsky
WWW
Three Little Words started my work with visual language. This series contains my colorful gouache drawings of engagement diamonds accompanied by three words in black cursive text. I painted the most symbolic engagement diamonds from Tiffany's and Cartie ...
Three Little Words started my work with visual language. This series contains my colorful gouache drawings of engagement diamonds accompanied by three words in black cursive text. I painted the most symbolic engagement diamonds from Tiffany's and Cartie ...
W4387
25.05.2011
Pristine Project - Andrea Röpke
WWW
Research proposal Andrea Röpke - Pristine Project 2008 - In February this year the Kontekst gallery in Belgrade opened the Exhibition "Exception" of works by young Kosovar Albanian artists. The exhibition came to my attention through a Belgrade-bas ...
Research proposal Andrea Röpke - Pristine Project 2008 - In February this year the Kontekst gallery in Belgrade opened the Exhibition "Exception" of works by young Kosovar Albanian artists. The exhibition came to my attention through a Belgrade-bas ...
W3667
15.05.2011
Breathing (1988) - Joanna Frueh
WWW
This piece is an unpresented performance. Breathing (1988) A Proposal for a Performance by Joanna Frueh and Russell Dudley Written by Joanna Frueh A restaurant table for two, with one chair on either side, sits center stage. A vase holding a large ...
This piece is an unpresented performance. Breathing (1988) A Proposal for a Performance by Joanna Frueh and Russell Dudley Written by Joanna Frueh A restaurant table for two, with one chair on either side, sits center stage. A vase holding a large ...