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.

Social Resource Project For the Munich Olympics - Stephen Willats

Just Before Dawn - David Lamelas

MAK - Wien  - Rosemarie Trockel

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

Post Photographic apparatus - Steven Pippin

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

Placid Earth: A Project for the Meeting of Millennia - Cai Guo Quiang

Battery Park City - Per Kirkeby

PROJEKT - Ulrich Rückreim

La Guerra De Los Simbolos - Victor Grippo

Agency of Unrealised Projects
Logo by Liam Gillick
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Date
Title
Source
Description
Tags
W5420
20.10.2012
“These things I do, and shall do, if I can, are no longer, or are not yet, or never were, or never will be, or if they were, if they are, if they will be, were not here, are not here, will not be here, but elsewhere”. - Alessandro Laita
WWW
TITLE “These things I do, and shall do, if I can, are no longer, or are not yet, or never were, or never will be, or if they were, if they are, if they will be, were not here, are not here, will not be here, but elsewhere”. DESCRIPTION The who ...
TITLE “These things I do, and shall do, if I can, are no longer, or are not yet, or never were, or never will be, or if they were, if they are, if they will be, were not here, are not here, will not be here, but elsewhere”. DESCRIPTION The who ...
W4078
23.05.2011
Infinity and Tipi - Kasia Ozga
WWW
2 site-specific environmental art proposals in wicker: Infinity and Tipi I am proposing two different projects for and international residency in 2010. The first piece, entitled Infinity, will be a permanent work installed and braided on site by loc ...
2 site-specific environmental art proposals in wicker: Infinity and Tipi I am proposing two different projects for and international residency in 2010. The first piece, entitled Infinity, will be a permanent work installed and braided on site by loc ...
W5177
27.09.2012
Sun Transmitters  - Boris Oicherman
WWW
Sun Transmitters Unrealized project Boris Oicherman Old Jaffa port is used mainly by the fishermen. It is a popular area populated by restaurants, bars and art galleries. One of the buildings on the southern side of Jaffa port (marked by black on the sche ...
Sun Transmitters Unrealized project Boris Oicherman Old Jaffa port is used mainly by the fishermen. It is a popular area populated by restaurants, bars and art galleries. One of the buildings on the southern side of Jaffa port (marked by black on the sche ...
W4097
23.05.2011
Hope to dwell in fear - Prapat Jiwarangsan
WWW
Hope to dwell in fear By Prapat Jiwarangsan My depressive mood, as my psychologist diagnosed, has stemmed from the attempt of my former artwork to heal my country’s social problems, some of which are unjust social classes and restrictions of freed ...
Hope to dwell in fear By Prapat Jiwarangsan My depressive mood, as my psychologist diagnosed, has stemmed from the attempt of my former artwork to heal my country’s social problems, some of which are unjust social classes and restrictions of freed ...
W4860
08.08.2012
Andrew Tosiello
WWW
A two-page screenplay for a video based on a scene in the film GoodFellas. In the original Henry Hill accesses the Copacabana by way of the Service Entrance, but is given preferred seating upon arrival at the main stage. ...
A two-page screenplay for a video based on a scene in the film GoodFellas. In the original Henry Hill accesses the Copacabana by way of the Service Entrance, but is given preferred seating upon arrival at the main stage. ...
W4407
25.05.2011
The Great Pyramid - Ingo Niermann
WWW
The Great Pyramid—a gradually growing tomb for potentially every human being in the world. Every stone in this pyramid could house the ashes of a deceased individual. It would grow, layer per layer, over decades and centuries. ...
The Great Pyramid—a gradually growing tomb for potentially every human being in the world. Every stone in this pyramid could house the ashes of a deceased individual. It would grow, layer per layer, over decades and centuries. ...
W5440
20.10.2012
Live Baghdad Live London - Mo Abd-Ulla
WWW
With the beginning of the Blitz, the ‘home front’ became an important subject…two civilians were soon instigated to record the events in order not to forget. Live Baghdad Live London is a long-term project, conceptually and structurally based on ...
With the beginning of the Blitz, the ‘home front’ became an important subject…two civilians were soon instigated to record the events in order not to forget. Live Baghdad Live London is a long-term project, conceptually and structurally based on ...
W4219
24.05.2011
I dream of you - Costa Vece
WWW
I would like to install a neon writing work with the sentence; I dream of you on the roof of the building, 4 avenue Henri Dunant, Plaine de Plainpalais in Geneva. The text of “ I dream of you “ should present the following ideas, imaginations an ...
I would like to install a neon writing work with the sentence; I dream of you on the roof of the building, 4 avenue Henri Dunant, Plaine de Plainpalais in Geneva. The text of “ I dream of you “ should present the following ideas, imaginations an ...
W3881
19.05.2011
Ned James & the Swifts
WWW
Proposal: Part 1. Use the artists fee to place 1000 £1 bets on the races during St Patrick’s Day. Dressed as the embodiment of St Patrick placing the bets one after another will take all day and create a performance of endurance and intrigue. T ...
Proposal: Part 1. Use the artists fee to place 1000 £1 bets on the races during St Patrick’s Day. Dressed as the embodiment of St Patrick placing the bets one after another will take all day and create a performance of endurance and intrigue. T ...
W4635
25.05.2011
“Handy Space Bags”  - Valeska Peschke
WWW
“Handy Space Bags” Kafka wrote: "Everyone carries a room about him." Everyone carries a room about him through other rooms. I hope to examine and detect ‘traverse rooms’ . In daily life, moving through the city, the utilities needed are enclos ...
“Handy Space Bags” Kafka wrote: "Everyone carries a room about him." Everyone carries a room about him through other rooms. I hope to examine and detect ‘traverse rooms’ . In daily life, moving through the city, the utilities needed are enclos ...
W10499
01.05.2014
White Point - Meeting Point - Esther Shalev-Gerz
WWW
Oslo, Norway, 2004 Permanent Installation In 2004 Esther Shalev-Gerz conceived White Point – Meeting Point as her invited proposal to the juried competition for a public artwork for Oslo’s new Centre for Studies of the Holocaust and Religious Mi ...
Oslo, Norway, 2004 Permanent Installation In 2004 Esther Shalev-Gerz conceived White Point – Meeting Point as her invited proposal to the juried competition for a public artwork for Oslo’s new Centre for Studies of the Holocaust and Religious Mi ...
W3743
18.05.2011
Rave Joy Mobile - Kai-Oi Jay Yung
WWW
A sound proofed enclosed box, mirrored on outside, pitch-black interior lit by 100 flashing neon LEDS, fitted with strawberry smoke nebuliser, fan and ventilation shaft to sit in the gallery. To be installed with state of the art sound system, digitally l ...
A sound proofed enclosed box, mirrored on outside, pitch-black interior lit by 100 flashing neon LEDS, fitted with strawberry smoke nebuliser, fan and ventilation shaft to sit in the gallery. To be installed with state of the art sound system, digitally l ...
W3543
12.05.2011
L'art mis à nu par ses artistes, même... Rifiuto della Creazione / Everything has been done, so why do „everything” ? - Gregor Rozanski
WWW
working title and object(s) as complex game of meanings. this is a meeting of ideas of two rebels form different backgrounds - artist Marcel Duchamp and theoretican and activist Antonio Negri. Negri and Duchamp have one the same opinion that is be ...
working title and object(s) as complex game of meanings. this is a meeting of ideas of two rebels form different backgrounds - artist Marcel Duchamp and theoretican and activist Antonio Negri. Negri and Duchamp have one the same opinion that is be ...
W4571
25.05.2011
Argh! - Paco Contreras
WWW
Tilted Argh! Since its inception the Roman civilization had exalted its leaders. Rome had always awaited the arrival of good news from its generals with great concern; in hope of securing protection of the Empire. The Romans were tremendously respect ...
Tilted Argh! Since its inception the Roman civilization had exalted its leaders. Rome had always awaited the arrival of good news from its generals with great concern; in hope of securing protection of the Empire. The Romans were tremendously respect ...
W5201
03.10.2012
Alexander Rosenberg
WWW
Part A: Illustrations (1-5 drawings) (see attached) Part B: Installation Title and Location: Title: “Apparatus for Celestial Observation and Introspection” Location: My first choice of location is one of the cells in cellblock 2 that has a ...
Part A: Illustrations (1-5 drawings) (see attached) Part B: Installation Title and Location: Title: “Apparatus for Celestial Observation and Introspection” Location: My first choice of location is one of the cells in cellblock 2 that has a ...
W4339
24.05.2011
On Loan - Julie Rafalski
WWW
On Loan Proposal: The entire collection of copies (222 books) of Thomas More’s Utopia that belong to the British Library will be borrowed for a given time period.* All copies of the book will be physically removed from the library on a given ...
On Loan Proposal: The entire collection of copies (222 books) of Thomas More’s Utopia that belong to the British Library will be borrowed for a given time period.* All copies of the book will be physically removed from the library on a given ...
W10484
28.04.2014
Tower (Without Walls) - Esther Shalev-Gerz
WWW
Jerusalem, Israel In 1998 Esther Shalev-Gerz proposed the intervention Tower (Without Walls) to the city of Jerusalem. The project consisted of imagining Jerusalem without city walls, by projecting the image of the streets located on the other side ont ...
Jerusalem, Israel In 1998 Esther Shalev-Gerz proposed the intervention Tower (Without Walls) to the city of Jerusalem. The project consisted of imagining Jerusalem without city walls, by projecting the image of the streets located on the other side ont ...
U9238
01.01.1994
PROJECT FOR A COMMUNITY CENTER, AVENUE DES NARCISSES, CHENOVE - Vito Acconci
Unbuilt Roads
Vito Acconci & Studio (Luis Vera, Jenny Schrider, Charles Doherty; with James Harrison, Jennifer Zackin, Jean Hahn) COMMUNITY CENTER, AVENUE DES NARCISSES, CHENOVE, FRANCE 1994 (To be built, 1998) Grass, trees, concrete, asphalt, steel, glass, lights, ...
Vito Acconci & Studio (Luis Vera, Jenny Schrider, Charles Doherty; with James Harrison, Jennifer Zackin, Jean Hahn) COMMUNITY CENTER, AVENUE DES NARCISSES, CHENOVE, FRANCE 1994 (To be built, 1998) Grass, trees, concrete, asphalt, steel, glass, lights, ...
W4814
07.08.2012
Peace Team - Adam Uriel Ruff
WWW
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 ...
W3710
17.05.2011
New business complex for The public company Electro-Slovenija - ARB, Slovenia
WWW
The project was presented at a competition for a new business complex for The public company Electro-Slovenija. The project is characterized by thin folded blades, containing open-volume, offices, making a perfect ground for photovoltaic. ...
The project was presented at a competition for a new business complex for The public company Electro-Slovenija. The project is characterized by thin folded blades, containing open-volume, offices, making a perfect ground for photovoltaic. ...
W5087
10.09.2012
Theâtre (theatre) - Vincent Roumagnac / Aurélie Pétrel / le vrac
WWW
In April 2012 Roumagnac gets from the directors of L!Elysée (theatre – Lyon, France) to proceed the whitening of their whole theatre (stage + audience space). Through this whitening Roumagnac aims to «"reveal"» the illusion of the disappearence of th ...
In April 2012 Roumagnac gets from the directors of L!Elysée (theatre – Lyon, France) to proceed the whitening of their whole theatre (stage + audience space). Through this whitening Roumagnac aims to «"reveal"» the illusion of the disappearence of th ...
W4658
25.05.2011
THE UNINVITED GUEST? - ELENA BAJO
WWW
THE UNINVITED GUEST? A Contrapunctual Proposal Dear Elena, Given the double or complementary nature and development of your entire project—as a book and as an exhibition—I’m assuming that the space you are referring to is understood not only ...
THE UNINVITED GUEST? A Contrapunctual Proposal Dear Elena, Given the double or complementary nature and development of your entire project—as a book and as an exhibition—I’m assuming that the space you are referring to is understood not only ...
W5154
24.09.2012
Borrowing the land - Joe Tymkow
WWW
This proposal was submitted to the 2012 UK Cultural Olympiad under the heading 'Artists Taking the Lead'. If chosen/realized it would have represented the largest piece of Land Art to date. ...
This proposal was submitted to the 2012 UK Cultural Olympiad under the heading 'Artists Taking the Lead'. If chosen/realized it would have represented the largest piece of Land Art to date. ...
W3966
21.05.2011
D.V. Rogers
WWW
LAMoves (LA*02010) - Are You Prepared? Pershing Square, Los Angeles, California 14th October - 21st October 2010 ©© D.V. Rogers 02010 url: http://la02010.allshookup.org Are You Sure You're Prepared? LAMoves was a socially driven, art-science ...
LAMoves (LA*02010) - Are You Prepared? Pershing Square, Los Angeles, California 14th October - 21st October 2010 ©© D.V. Rogers 02010 url: http://la02010.allshookup.org Are You Sure You're Prepared? LAMoves was a socially driven, art-science ...
W5261
12.10.2012
Memory Confetti - Stephen j Shanabrook / Veronika Georgieva
WWW
STEPHEN j SHANABROOK / VERONIKA GEORGIEVA MEMORY CONFETTI The project MEMORY CONFETTI consists of two parts: through various social network sites we will introduce the project and request the public’s time based participation in sending us imag ...
STEPHEN j SHANABROOK / VERONIKA GEORGIEVA MEMORY CONFETTI The project MEMORY CONFETTI consists of two parts: through various social network sites we will introduce the project and request the public’s time based participation in sending us imag ...