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.

Chen H.V.O + G.T. - Bertrand Lavier

Tulips for Amsterdam - Isa Genzken

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

Project 1 + Project 2 - Simryn Gill

Eislandschaft - P. Fischli und D. Weiss

Temple of the western buddha (1971 Kathmedu) - Herman de Vries

MODELL OF AN OFFICE FOR A COUPLE OF TWINS, BOTH 1,38 TALL" - Tobias Rehrenberg

Projet pour la Place Saint Léger à Chambery  - Erik Dietman

Unrealized project for Tate Gallery + ICA, 1969 - Gilbert and George

CIVITAS Stadtpostkarten - Lothar Baumgarten

Agency of Unrealised Projects
Logo by Liam Gillick
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Date
Title
Source
Description
Tags
W11076
07.04.2016
Temple of Modern Virtue - Vilja Achté
WWW
My work revolves around the relevance of the intentionally incomplete state as a method of production in art and design practice. The term itself is an adaptation of the Renaissance term ‘non-finito’, which quite literally means ‘not finished’, an ...
My work revolves around the relevance of the intentionally incomplete state as a method of production in art and design practice. The term itself is an adaptation of the Renaissance term ‘non-finito’, which quite literally means ‘not finished’, an ...
W10876
12.02.2015
Walking (Autonomous) Sculpture - Genco Gulan
WWW
I am interested in making moving (autonomous) sculptures with real robots. I did worked with some other different kinds of robots and got a prize with them at EMAF in 2005 as part of a larger project . But they were smaller, and theri walking, moving capa ...
I am interested in making moving (autonomous) sculptures with real robots. I did worked with some other different kinds of robots and got a prize with them at EMAF in 2005 as part of a larger project . But they were smaller, and theri walking, moving capa ...
W4207
24.05.2011
Power House - Sonja Benskin Mesher
WWW
Ongoing series of paintings and drawing, a weekly diary, on my feelings about the Power House ...
Ongoing series of paintings and drawing, a weekly diary, on my feelings about the Power House ...
W3544
12.05.2011
CITY IS DEAD / BACK TO INDOOR - CITY IS DEAD / BACK TO INDOOR
WWW
CITY IS DEAD / BACK TO INDOOR Art of recent decades experienced deeply the idea of „Escape from institutions to the streets”. It gave the birth to countless artistic projects in public spaces, interventions and site-specific installations. B ...
CITY IS DEAD / BACK TO INDOOR Art of recent decades experienced deeply the idea of „Escape from institutions to the streets”. It gave the birth to countless artistic projects in public spaces, interventions and site-specific installations. B ...
U10007
01.09.1995
Merci, Thank you, Danke: Les 2 sujets  - Thomas Hirschorn
Unbuilt Roads
Pour les affichés 4x3 devant l'immeuble Valois/Saint-Honoré je propose deux sujets issus de la serie "merci, Thank you, Danke". Ces sujets sont deux collages sur carton d'un format assez petit (eviron 20x40 pour l'un et 20x40 pour l'autre) Cette serie j ...
Pour les affichés 4x3 devant l'immeuble Valois/Saint-Honoré je propose deux sujets issus de la serie "merci, Thank you, Danke". Ces sujets sont deux collages sur carton d'un format assez petit (eviron 20x40 pour l'un et 20x40 pour l'autre) Cette serie j ...
W11006
26.03.2016
Monetarium - Amitesh Grover
WWW
What happens when we stop believing in money altogether? Monetarium is an urgent situation - An auction situation for the money. Let us think of this proposal as an invitation for an assembly - a curated, carefully selected group of people who are invited ...
What happens when we stop believing in money altogether? Monetarium is an urgent situation - An auction situation for the money. Let us think of this proposal as an invitation for an assembly - a curated, carefully selected group of people who are invited ...
W10923
20.06.2015
T.A. 27 Sydney 2000 - Olympia Golden Track - Johannes Angerbauer-Goldhoff
WWW
1997 erfolgte nach einer längeren Planungs- und Verhandlungsphase die Unterzeichung des Finanzierungs- und Realisierung Vertrags für ein Soziales Kunstgroßprojekt zur Eröffnung der Olympischen Spiele in Sydney 2000. Die gesamte Laufbahn des Olympische ...
1997 erfolgte nach einer längeren Planungs- und Verhandlungsphase die Unterzeichung des Finanzierungs- und Realisierung Vertrags für ein Soziales Kunstgroßprojekt zur Eröffnung der Olympischen Spiele in Sydney 2000. Die gesamte Laufbahn des Olympische ...
W5314
17.10.2012
Panikon deima - Cynthia Reynolds
WWW
An unrealized electrostatic installation Below is part of a detailed proposal prepared for me by an organometallic chemist I contacted via the Internet in 2005 and corresponded with over a two-year period. He had a website expressing a personal interes ...
An unrealized electrostatic installation Below is part of a detailed proposal prepared for me by an organometallic chemist I contacted via the Internet in 2005 and corresponded with over a two-year period. He had a website expressing a personal interes ...
W4201
24.05.2011
Roger Hiorns
WWW
Section one, presents a communication to the people of Tuckerton NJ and in turn the people of NY. Section Two, I was asked to propose for the latest round of Fourth plinth installations. ...
Section one, presents a communication to the people of Tuckerton NJ and in turn the people of NY. Section Two, I was asked to propose for the latest round of Fourth plinth installations. ...
W4294
24.05.2011
Holger C. Lönze
WWW
The proposed two-part sculpture draws from the rich maritime heritage of the Atlantic and celebrates the elements that have determined the lives of generations of local communities: wind and tides. The context for the two parts of the work are the iconic ...
The proposed two-part sculpture draws from the rich maritime heritage of the Atlantic and celebrates the elements that have determined the lives of generations of local communities: wind and tides. The context for the two parts of the work are the iconic ...
W3624
14.05.2011
Steve Rosenthal
WWW
Unrealized project from March 2008. The proposal was made to Acantia Health and Beauty Ltd, seeking sponsorship in the form of 6000 bars of Coal Tar Soap to realize the construction of a 'Yellow Brick Road' for my final degree show. Please see text (i ...
Unrealized project from March 2008. The proposal was made to Acantia Health and Beauty Ltd, seeking sponsorship in the form of 6000 bars of Coal Tar Soap to realize the construction of a 'Yellow Brick Road' for my final degree show. Please see text (i ...
W4114
23.05.2011
“Mother Teresa” - Helidon Gjergji
WWW
TIRANA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT “Mother Teresa” The Tirana International Airport “Mother Teresa” was recently inaugurated, and is quite an impressive piece of contemporary architecture in which locals take great pride. At the same time, what is m ...
TIRANA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT “Mother Teresa” The Tirana International Airport “Mother Teresa” was recently inaugurated, and is quite an impressive piece of contemporary architecture in which locals take great pride. At the same time, what is m ...
W5101
13.09.2012
Copa & Sordes
WWW
and an another proposal for an ornament in art context ...
and an another proposal for an ornament in art context ...
W3810
18.05.2011
Convention - David K. Ross
WWW
Convention' was an unsolicited, and as I found out in March of this year, unaccepted proposal to the promoters of the Toronto International Art Fair. ...
Convention' was an unsolicited, and as I found out in March of this year, unaccepted proposal to the promoters of the Toronto International Art Fair. ...
W4113
23.05.2011
Xenia Imagines - Simon Chambers
WWW
Xenia Imagines is a proposed website telling a hyperfiction of a painter who allegedly paints xenia, an early form of Roman still life. The paintings, if they do exist may be part of an imaginary collection of paintings inspired by the descriptions of Phi ...
Xenia Imagines is a proposed website telling a hyperfiction of a painter who allegedly paints xenia, an early form of Roman still life. The paintings, if they do exist may be part of an imaginary collection of paintings inspired by the descriptions of Phi ...
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 ...
W5252
11.10.2012
Scott Rogers
WWW
While I realize that Walter De Maria's Earth Room in New York is continuously groomed and manicured to prevent any trace of change, I wish / fantasize that it could be planted (if only for a very brief growing season). I don't think of this as iconoclasti ...
While I realize that Walter De Maria's Earth Room in New York is continuously groomed and manicured to prevent any trace of change, I wish / fantasize that it could be planted (if only for a very brief growing season). I don't think of this as iconoclasti ...
W5169
26.09.2012
The winnipeg free museum  - Kendra Place
WWW
The winnipeg free museum (2009–2010) was an impossible, dividual artists' project. If Museums are being built as walled inspiration, promising experience and claiming to face the (carceral/) future, would the non-built or dematerialized, situated within ...
The winnipeg free museum (2009–2010) was an impossible, dividual artists' project. If Museums are being built as walled inspiration, promising experience and claiming to face the (carceral/) future, would the non-built or dematerialized, situated within ...
W5193
01.10.2012
becoming the mountain - Aerial Sparks
WWW
When I decided to become a professional artist in 2005 , I was switching from a career to my vocation , ignorant of how the art world works I concluded the best means of gaining interest and artistic notoriety quickly was to make a selection of large co ...
When I decided to become a professional artist in 2005 , I was switching from a career to my vocation , ignorant of how the art world works I concluded the best means of gaining interest and artistic notoriety quickly was to make a selection of large co ...
W3672
15.05.2011
An Island - jeroen doorenweerd
WWW
An Island' is a proposal for a large scale work in public space, commissioned by the province of North-Holland in the Netherlands. 'Kunstgebouw' was involved with the choice of artists. My proposal will not be realised. How many kubic metres of soil ca ...
An Island' is a proposal for a large scale work in public space, commissioned by the province of North-Holland in the Netherlands. 'Kunstgebouw' was involved with the choice of artists. My proposal will not be realised. How many kubic metres of soil ca ...
W5027
31.08.2012
The Reverse Grand Tour - Valerio Rocco Orlando
WWW
The Reverse Grand Tour 2012 Inspired by the Grand Tour and the experiments conducted by the philosopher of science Bruno Latour, Valerio Rocco Orlando analyzes how context and relationships influence an artist’s practice in Rome today. In order to ...
The Reverse Grand Tour 2012 Inspired by the Grand Tour and the experiments conducted by the philosopher of science Bruno Latour, Valerio Rocco Orlando analyzes how context and relationships influence an artist’s practice in Rome today. In order to ...
D10796
09.09.2012
"Clouds" of mist/steam - Abraham Cruzvillegas
DAAD
The idea is to hang a sprinkling system from the already existing structure on the facade of Kule building. The goal is to make intermittently "Clouds" of mist/steam. ...
The idea is to hang a sprinkling system from the already existing structure on the facade of Kule building. The goal is to make intermittently "Clouds" of mist/steam. ...
W4898
11.08.2012
Space and Time - Joe Sobel
WWW
In graduate school I would rearrange my studio constantly. It wasn’t until after I learned of the term tabulology, while studying The Peter Principle. It is the study of unusual arrangements of desks, workbenches, etc. with acts of habituation and repet ...
In graduate school I would rearrange my studio constantly. It wasn’t until after I learned of the term tabulology, while studying The Peter Principle. It is the study of unusual arrangements of desks, workbenches, etc. with acts of habituation and repet ...
W5066
04.09.2012
Icelandic Elements - Alexander Zaklynsky
WWW
Curatorial Statement : Icelandic Elements - 4 Directions in Icelandic Painting Iceland o!ers the Artist an environment of extreme elements. "ese Elements indelibly imprint their impression. "e four Artists in this Exhibition represent these undercurrents ...
Curatorial Statement : Icelandic Elements - 4 Directions in Icelandic Painting Iceland o!ers the Artist an environment of extreme elements. "ese Elements indelibly imprint their impression. "e four Artists in this Exhibition represent these undercurrents ...
W3545
12.05.2011
GOLDEN - Deanne Butterworth
WWW
GOLDEN My investigations in dance stem from how an audience views a dancing body through their construction of narrative. GOLDEN will setup parameters for a narrative to exist in, but will not necessarily decide what the narrative shall be. It is not ...
GOLDEN My investigations in dance stem from how an audience views a dancing body through their construction of narrative. GOLDEN will setup parameters for a narrative to exist in, but will not necessarily decide what the narrative shall be. It is not ...
W4303
24.05.2011
George Bataille on the LA Freeway: The Public Art Work of Luther Thie - Luther Thie
WWW
George Bataille on the LA Freeway: The Public Art Work of Luther Thie By Frederick Young What immediately strikes one about Luther Thie’s LA Interchange is the scope and magnitude of the project, a real-time memorial to automobile crash victims ...
George Bataille on the LA Freeway: The Public Art Work of Luther Thie By Frederick Young What immediately strikes one about Luther Thie’s LA Interchange is the scope and magnitude of the project, a real-time memorial to automobile crash victims ...