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.

654 THINGS from The United States - Edward Ruscha

Grand Concours International D'Architecture  - Sol Lewitt

A House of Dust - Alison Knowles

Grand Concours International D'Architecture  - Mahe Gilles

My House - Uri Tzaig

Unrealized Turtles 1967 - Joseph Grigely

Niemandsland - Hans Haacke

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

Double Exposure 1995-6  - Dan Graham

Progetto per Gerry Schum - Guiseppe Penone

Agency of Unrealised Projects
Logo by Liam Gillick
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Date
Title
Source
Description
Tags
W4507
25.05.2011
Second nature – A dystopian view into virtual farming - Aditi Ruiz
WWW
Second nature – A dystopian view into virtual farming There are 80 million urban farmers across the world, but they are farming virtually through social networks. What does this imply for the future of the farm? How is this reshaping our perception o ...
Second nature – A dystopian view into virtual farming There are 80 million urban farmers across the world, but they are farming virtually through social networks. What does this imply for the future of the farm? How is this reshaping our perception o ...
W4081
23.05.2011
Présentation du projet: « FREE », - Kasia Ozga
WWW
FREE (Sculpture in steel with real or fake birds) La question des rapports désirables entre les êtres humains et leur environnement est devenue une des plus importants de notre temps. Le passage du temps peut être ressenti avec le corps et pensée c ...
FREE (Sculpture in steel with real or fake birds) La question des rapports désirables entre les êtres humains et leur environnement est devenue une des plus importants de notre temps. Le passage du temps peut être ressenti avec le corps et pensée c ...
W11063
24.06.2016
Julian Assange's Mobile Balcony Installation at 1:1 - Muhammad Shamin Sahrum
WWW
Proposal extending from Master's thesis work in architecture, titled "The Diplomatic Envelope". A research into the various case studies within embassies where overlaps of legal principles with the physical and digital territories occur. This gray area em ...
Proposal extending from Master's thesis work in architecture, titled "The Diplomatic Envelope". A research into the various case studies within embassies where overlaps of legal principles with the physical and digital territories occur. This gray area em ...
W3590
13.05.2011
IN-OUTDOOR PROJECT - Helena Trindade
WWW
Unrealized Public Art Project For images and text please refer to the PDF ...
Unrealized Public Art Project For images and text please refer to the PDF ...
W4789
10.06.2011
Utopia as a Critical Tool: Terje Nicolaisens Proposals 1995-2005 - Ingvild Krogvig
WWW
UTOPIA AS A CRITICAL TOOL: TERJE NICOLAISENS PROPOSALS 1995-2005 By Ingvild Krogvig In a drawn situation report from the Bjarne Melgaard exhibition at the Astrup Fearnley Museum in 2010, a female guide in a short, flowing mini-skirt is showing art t ...
UTOPIA AS A CRITICAL TOOL: TERJE NICOLAISENS PROPOSALS 1995-2005 By Ingvild Krogvig In a drawn situation report from the Bjarne Melgaard exhibition at the Astrup Fearnley Museum in 2010, a female guide in a short, flowing mini-skirt is showing art t ...
W3528
11.05.2011
MARS / SPIRIT 2009/12 - KLAUS HU
WWW
KLAUS HU Studio Wildenbruch 77 12045 Berlin / Germany tel (49).30.68081524 em: klaushu[at]yahoo.de KLAUS HU IS REPRESENTED BY VG BILD-KUNST. TRILOGY MARS DESERT BEACH 2006/12 MARS DESERT BEACH 2006/10 http://klaushu.blogspot.com/ MAR ...
KLAUS HU Studio Wildenbruch 77 12045 Berlin / Germany tel (49).30.68081524 em: klaushu[at]yahoo.de KLAUS HU IS REPRESENTED BY VG BILD-KUNST. TRILOGY MARS DESERT BEACH 2006/12 MARS DESERT BEACH 2006/10 http://klaushu.blogspot.com/ MAR ...
W3732
18.05.2011
POP GOES THE WEASEL - Anne O'Callaghan & Barbara Sternberg
WWW
The following is a brief synopsis of the proposal, POP GOES THE WEASEL, that we submitted for 2011 Nuit Blanche, Toronto, Ontario Canada. This proposal was rejected due to censorship by the local Business Improvement Association (BIA), see emails below** ...
The following is a brief synopsis of the proposal, POP GOES THE WEASEL, that we submitted for 2011 Nuit Blanche, Toronto, Ontario Canada. This proposal was rejected due to censorship by the local Business Improvement Association (BIA), see emails below** ...
W4253
24.05.2011
Minute of Power  - Arcady Kotler
WWW
Arcady Kotler Minute of Power The project Minute of Power is an interactive installation inviting viewers to stand on top of a watchtower to observe their surroundings through the scope a rifle. In this work I investigate how the experience of hand ...
Arcady Kotler Minute of Power The project Minute of Power is an interactive installation inviting viewers to stand on top of a watchtower to observe their surroundings through the scope a rifle. In this work I investigate how the experience of hand ...
W4563
25.05.2011
darius
WWW
Well, I do not know nevertheless I tend to imagine it being not. As for me, life seems to be a continuous experience. I suppose, if you’re only interested in the individual – arguably a rather crude segregation. But isn’t it also true ...
Well, I do not know nevertheless I tend to imagine it being not. As for me, life seems to be a continuous experience. I suppose, if you’re only interested in the individual – arguably a rather crude segregation. But isn’t it also true ...
W3508
11.05.2011
Karin Schaefer
WWW
Attached are images of a model for a large scale public work that has not been realized. The making of this work started a few weeks after 911 as I needed to find a way to process and work with the reality of the event. Models have been exhibited in vari ...
Attached are images of a model for a large scale public work that has not been realized. The making of this work started a few weeks after 911 as I needed to find a way to process and work with the reality of the event. Models have been exhibited in vari ...
W4152
23.05.2011
She - Cornford & Cross
WWW
We proposed to position an eternal flame in physical and symbolic relation to the Lion statue in Forbury Gardens, Reading, England.. The Lion commemorates a battle in 1880 in Maiwand, Afghanistan — Britain’s last military involvement in Afghanistan b ...
We proposed to position an eternal flame in physical and symbolic relation to the Lion statue in Forbury Gardens, Reading, England.. The Lion commemorates a battle in 1880 in Maiwand, Afghanistan — Britain’s last military involvement in Afghanistan b ...
W4284
24.05.2011
Mr. Imagination’s Arch of Unity - Mr. Imagination (Gregory Warmack)
WWW
Mr. Imagination (Gregory Warmack) Mr. Imagination’s Arch of Unity Proposal for Vision and Vernacular Eight African American Artists in Venice Presented by American Folk Art Museum at Fondaco dei Tedeschi, June 2011 Artist Statement The su ...
Mr. Imagination (Gregory Warmack) Mr. Imagination’s Arch of Unity Proposal for Vision and Vernacular Eight African American Artists in Venice Presented by American Folk Art Museum at Fondaco dei Tedeschi, June 2011 Artist Statement The su ...
W3841
19.05.2011
God's ear wax - Janice Perry
WWW
"God's ear wax." Large sculpture for public space. Multiple media. Conceived 2004/2011. Janice Perry. B. 1950. USA. The sculpture is comprised of an extremely large ball of wax (with a very high melting point), 100-500 feet in diameter, dark golden br ...
"God's ear wax." Large sculpture for public space. Multiple media. Conceived 2004/2011. Janice Perry. B. 1950. USA. The sculpture is comprised of an extremely large ball of wax (with a very high melting point), 100-500 feet in diameter, dark golden br ...
W3517
11.05.2011
Spartak Dulic
WWW
W10410
07.04.2014
Reverse Lecture Series - VIIIC KEER OSSTTAPPPH
WWW
During the reverse lecture series, there will be one audience member as everyone else simultaneously delivers a speech from behind a lectern. ...
During the reverse lecture series, there will be one audience member as everyone else simultaneously delivers a speech from behind a lectern. ...
W3958
20.05.2011
Siphon Puti Fountain - Michael Arata
WWW
Siphon Puti Fountain, Styrofoam, paper, wood and plastic tubing penis, two water containers. The siphon Puti Fountain (suck it) directly references European Puti fountains. This Fountain was meant to be realized as a manual fountain based on the same ...
Siphon Puti Fountain, Styrofoam, paper, wood and plastic tubing penis, two water containers. The siphon Puti Fountain (suck it) directly references European Puti fountains. This Fountain was meant to be realized as a manual fountain based on the same ...
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 ...
W4811
07.08.2012
Detachment - Amira Parree
WWW
Hand made latex dress sewed by hand for 100 hours within 10 days, partly burnd. The dress is one piece of 6 yards long material, 2 dresses in one piece. One side is empty and the other side is worn by me. Detachment, the title expresses my willingne ...
Hand made latex dress sewed by hand for 100 hours within 10 days, partly burnd. The dress is one piece of 6 yards long material, 2 dresses in one piece. One side is empty and the other side is worn by me. Detachment, the title expresses my willingne ...
W5463
21.10.2012
The House I Grew Up In - Zena Zakanycz
WWW
Artist Statement: It is interesting to see what one value or thinks should be contained, stored and kept. This idea of something being secure and safely tucked away or collected is fundamental in my work. I think it is an essential quality of humans to ...
Artist Statement: It is interesting to see what one value or thinks should be contained, stored and kept. This idea of something being secure and safely tucked away or collected is fundamental in my work. I think it is an essential quality of humans to ...
W5895
18.10.2013
Head over heels - Matthijs Muller
WWW
This House embodies the difficulties involved with building brick houses in the marshy grounds of the Netherlands. It's position, leaning on its roof, it's unbalance, seems the result of some dramatic event. The poles that poke into the air look like some ...
This House embodies the difficulties involved with building brick houses in the marshy grounds of the Netherlands. It's position, leaning on its roof, it's unbalance, seems the result of some dramatic event. The poles that poke into the air look like some ...
W4012
22.05.2011
Arthur Woods
WWW
The O.U.R.S. project concerns the concept of a monumental orbiting ring sculpture designed for realization in the outer space environment in the year 2000. ...
The O.U.R.S. project concerns the concept of a monumental orbiting ring sculpture designed for realization in the outer space environment in the year 2000. ...
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 ...
W4021
22.05.2011
MAKE YOUR MOVE - Marjan Verhaeghe
WWW
Marjan Verhaeghe For: Agency of Unrealized Projects (AUP) In my proposal for a residence in Dublin, 2008, I formulated an interactive idea for a cooperation with other artists. I was selected to come over, but in that period I couldn’t go (be ...
Marjan Verhaeghe For: Agency of Unrealized Projects (AUP) In my proposal for a residence in Dublin, 2008, I formulated an interactive idea for a cooperation with other artists. I was selected to come over, but in that period I couldn’t go (be ...
W5296
17.10.2012
Swimming Pool - Ferhat Özgür
WWW
‘SWIMMING POOL’ AN UNREALISED PROJECT BY FERHAT OZGUR PARIS 2012 The unrealised project entitled ‘Swimming Pool’ has been designed as a project which aims to blur the border between art and life. Here the aim of the project is to add new ...
‘SWIMMING POOL’ AN UNREALISED PROJECT BY FERHAT OZGUR PARIS 2012 The unrealised project entitled ‘Swimming Pool’ has been designed as a project which aims to blur the border between art and life. Here the aim of the project is to add new ...
W3858
19.05.2011
Cheryl K. Shurtleff
WWW
I propose to construct cat hair figures from fur collected from the cats housed at the Idaho Humane Shelter over a period of time. In order to realize this project I propose to visit the Humane Shelter twice per week over a period of one month. I will pet ...
I propose to construct cat hair figures from fur collected from the cats housed at the Idaho Humane Shelter over a period of time. In order to realize this project I propose to visit the Humane Shelter twice per week over a period of one month. I will pet ...
W5896
18.10.2013
Golf course - Matthijs Muller
WWW
Golf courses are artificial landscapes with artificial hills and small artificial sand dunes. Now imagine a golf course (in the Netherlands, in the meadows), without those artificial hills and the small sand dunes replaced by metal versions on poles to pu ...
Golf courses are artificial landscapes with artificial hills and small artificial sand dunes. Now imagine a golf course (in the Netherlands, in the meadows), without those artificial hills and the small sand dunes replaced by metal versions on poles to pu ...