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.

Fax Transmission - Raymond Pettibone and Jason Rhoades

WATERWORKS - Mona Hatoum

Just Before Dawn - David Lamelas

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

KEEPING IN TOUCH - Allan Kaprow

Time Magazine Cover - Robert Rauschenberg

Ruderaltisch, 1994/95 Kunst am Bau - Projekt - Lois Weinberger

The lmprobable Flow - Larry Bell

Invitation Space No.1 - Tania Mouraud

Dog Jaw Monument - A Futurist Tele-introject - Leon Golub

Agency of Unrealised Projects
Logo by Liam Gillick
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Date
Title
Source
Description
Tags
W3549
12.05.2011
Portrait of a village in contemporary art - Eugen Alupopanu
WWW
My project proposal was "Portrait of a village in contemporary art" in which I wanted to use typical means of photography as document and translate them into visual art language, namely painting. In short, I wanted to photograph all the people in the vill ...
My project proposal was "Portrait of a village in contemporary art" in which I wanted to use typical means of photography as document and translate them into visual art language, namely painting. In short, I wanted to photograph all the people in the vill ...
W3564
12.05.2011
Das Kapital - Marcello Mercado
WWW
Das Kapital: http://www.marcellomercado.com/html/videoart/index.html "Marcello Mercado’s Capital is neither a finished product nor artware. His Capital is a work-in-progress. It will not be finished until the artist no longer believes in it or when ...
Das Kapital: http://www.marcellomercado.com/html/videoart/index.html "Marcello Mercado’s Capital is neither a finished product nor artware. His Capital is a work-in-progress. It will not be finished until the artist no longer believes in it or when ...
W3925
20.05.2011
Proposal for Witches Memorial in Salem MA - Ed Levine
WWW
Proposal for Witches Memorial in Salem MA Giving voice to Witches Each of the 17 sculptural element is a musical instrument. Compressed air is cycled randomly through the internal pipe in each element. Consequently the sound will project around the si ...
Proposal for Witches Memorial in Salem MA Giving voice to Witches Each of the 17 sculptural element is a musical instrument. Compressed air is cycled randomly through the internal pipe in each element. Consequently the sound will project around the si ...
W4403
25.05.2011
Landscape Follies - Eleanna Horiti
WWW
Landscape Follies A series that involves the creation of ‘new’ unnatural imaginary landscapes through a series of actions, such as excavations, exposure of strata and the creation of fake elements using natural materials. ...
Landscape Follies A series that involves the creation of ‘new’ unnatural imaginary landscapes through a series of actions, such as excavations, exposure of strata and the creation of fake elements using natural materials. ...
W3673
15.05.2011
SOUNDFAIR  - Clara Meister
WWW
THE UTOPIA OF A SOUNDSHOW ʻTELL ME ALL, SHOW ME NOTHINGʼ INTRODUCTION UNREALIZED PROJECT INTRODUCTION OF THE FOUNDERS 4. REALIZED PORJECTS CONTACT: Clara Meister clara@soundfair.net www.soundfair.net INTRODUCTION SOUNDFAIR - EXHI ...
THE UTOPIA OF A SOUNDSHOW ʻTELL ME ALL, SHOW ME NOTHINGʼ INTRODUCTION UNREALIZED PROJECT INTRODUCTION OF THE FOUNDERS 4. REALIZED PORJECTS CONTACT: Clara Meister clara@soundfair.net www.soundfair.net INTRODUCTION SOUNDFAIR - EXHI ...
U9282
22.11.1992
Proposal for a permanent video installation for the NYC headquarters of Sony Corporation - Dara Birnbaum
Unbuilt Roads
INSTALLATION DESCRIPTION: At one end of the proposed installation space (main dining area designated for Sony employees), a wall is used to support a video wall or projection screen, which displays a seam-less flow of large-scale images. These large-s ...
INSTALLATION DESCRIPTION: At one end of the proposed installation space (main dining area designated for Sony employees), a wall is used to support a video wall or projection screen, which displays a seam-less flow of large-scale images. These large-s ...
W4997
30.08.2012
Outback Pietà - Maarten Daudeij
WWW
Title: Outback Pietà Artist: Maarten Daudeij (The Netherlands, Australia) Year of origination of the idea: 2011 Concept: Taking the Pietà by Michelangelo out of the Saint Peter and placing it in the Australian Outback Theme: i.e. the duality between ...
Title: Outback Pietà Artist: Maarten Daudeij (The Netherlands, Australia) Year of origination of the idea: 2011 Concept: Taking the Pietà by Michelangelo out of the Saint Peter and placing it in the Australian Outback Theme: i.e. the duality between ...
W5428
20.10.2012
The Line  - Bindu Mehra
WWW
The Line In 2002, there were communal riots between Hindus and Muslims in the city of Ahmedabad in India. According to official estimates, 1044 people were killed in the violence. Another 223 people were reported missing, 2,548 injured, 919 women widowed ...
The Line In 2002, there were communal riots between Hindus and Muslims in the city of Ahmedabad in India. According to official estimates, 1044 people were killed in the violence. Another 223 people were reported missing, 2,548 injured, 919 women widowed ...
W5414
20.10.2012
We called it a modest proposal - gerlach en koop
WWW
We called it a modest proposal We called it a modest proposal when we presented it, one morning, end of January 2008, at the headquarters of Europol, Raamweg 47 in The Hague (NL), a building almost completely hidden behind a dense thicket of ivy. A rad ...
We called it a modest proposal We called it a modest proposal when we presented it, one morning, end of January 2008, at the headquarters of Europol, Raamweg 47 in The Hague (NL), a building almost completely hidden behind a dense thicket of ivy. A rad ...
W3878
19.05.2011
SCISSORGATE - Derek Michael Besant
WWW
SCISSORGATE Client: Banker’s Hall Downtown Tower Entry / Calgary Alberta Canada Date: 2003 Based on the child’s game; Scissors, Paper, Rock, these giant forms create an obstacle course of forms akin to a Japanese Garden. The offset wall where t ...
SCISSORGATE Client: Banker’s Hall Downtown Tower Entry / Calgary Alberta Canada Date: 2003 Based on the child’s game; Scissors, Paper, Rock, these giant forms create an obstacle course of forms akin to a Japanese Garden. The offset wall where t ...
U9277
01.01.1997
PROPOSALl + VOORSTEL - Guillame Bijl
Unbuilt Roads
An abstract sculpture is standing on an ellipse pavement platform, surrounded by city lights, a city seal and a small flower arrangement. Een buitenaards stalen abstract object (±7m) is midden in de stadskem geland. Er zijn balustraden rond gebouwd. ...
An abstract sculpture is standing on an ellipse pavement platform, surrounded by city lights, a city seal and a small flower arrangement. Een buitenaards stalen abstract object (±7m) is midden in de stadskem geland. Er zijn balustraden rond gebouwd. ...
W5035
31.08.2012
Firstandlast - Heikki Salo
WWW
Firstandlast was submitted to ISEA 04 in Helsinki. The installation consists of a series of artificial worlds, ranging from videoscapes to fully abstract spaces (e.g. from natural landscapes to fractal universes) that represent the development of a fic ...
Firstandlast was submitted to ISEA 04 in Helsinki. The installation consists of a series of artificial worlds, ranging from videoscapes to fully abstract spaces (e.g. from natural landscapes to fractal universes) that represent the development of a fic ...
W5245
10.10.2012
No.2 - Jim Bay
WWW
No.2 Come on Jim, make it happen. Do it. Focus. You can do it. I know that what you do isn't easy, but you chose this path Jim and have been treading it a good many years now. This fear, is amateurish. Come on Jim, you have lived, loved and lost. You h ...
No.2 Come on Jim, make it happen. Do it. Focus. You can do it. I know that what you do isn't easy, but you chose this path Jim and have been treading it a good many years now. This fear, is amateurish. Come on Jim, you have lived, loved and lost. You h ...
U9978
01.01.1972
Social Resource Project For the Munich Olympics - Stephen Willats
Unbuilt Roads
The social resource project for the Munich Olympics is specifically directed at members of athletic clubs and the audience of athletic fixtures. The project aims to get participants to articulate the rules and perceptual structure of the athletic social e ...
The social resource project for the Munich Olympics is specifically directed at members of athletic clubs and the audience of athletic fixtures. The project aims to get participants to articulate the rules and perceptual structure of the athletic social e ...
U9543
01.01.1974
Aus: Katalog 'Kunst bleibt Kunst' - Hans Peter Feldman
Unbuilt Roads
Während der Ausstellung sollten in drei Kölner Tageszeitungen in jeweils drei Ausgaben ein bis zwei Bilder erscheinen. Diese Bilder sollten an beliebiger Stelle des redaktionellen Teils stehen und keinerlei Beziehungen zu sie umgebenden Texten oder ande ...
Während der Ausstellung sollten in drei Kölner Tageszeitungen in jeweils drei Ausgaben ein bis zwei Bilder erscheinen. Diese Bilder sollten an beliebiger Stelle des redaktionellen Teils stehen und keinerlei Beziehungen zu sie umgebenden Texten oder ande ...
W4140
23.05.2011
Projections on Paintings - Rebecca Sherman
WWW
Projections on Paintings displays a dialogue between moving and still images to generate unpredictable visuals in real time. It includes several large-scale mix media paintings of architectural constructions that extend into a scaffolding installation o ...
Projections on Paintings displays a dialogue between moving and still images to generate unpredictable visuals in real time. It includes several large-scale mix media paintings of architectural constructions that extend into a scaffolding installation o ...
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 ...
W4743
26.05.2011
Kristin Tollefson
WWW
Designed for the White Center YWCA Resource Center, White Center, WA, this wall was intended to reference the growing and diverse community who are patrons of the center. Botanical forms are universally recognized in cultures around the world.... ...
Designed for the White Center YWCA Resource Center, White Center, WA, this wall was intended to reference the growing and diverse community who are patrons of the center. Botanical forms are universally recognized in cultures around the world.... ...
W4148
23.05.2011
The Ambassadors - Cornford & Cross
WWW
The Ambassadors 2001 We were invited to submit proposals for the 2002 Liverpool Biennial. Our proposal, titled The Ambassadors, would have consisted of a set of flags of those nations with which HM Government did not maintain diplomatic relations. The ...
The Ambassadors 2001 We were invited to submit proposals for the 2002 Liverpool Biennial. Our proposal, titled The Ambassadors, would have consisted of a set of flags of those nations with which HM Government did not maintain diplomatic relations. The ...
W4999
30.08.2012
Fiaba - Peter Friedl
WWW
Peter Friedl Fiaba, 1997 The sisters of the previously deceased gallerist Lucio Amelio, legendary well beyond Naples, asked Friedl for a project proposal for an individual exhibition in the gallery whose fate now lay in her hands. Oriented on Neapolit ...
Peter Friedl Fiaba, 1997 The sisters of the previously deceased gallerist Lucio Amelio, legendary well beyond Naples, asked Friedl for a project proposal for an individual exhibition in the gallery whose fate now lay in her hands. Oriented on Neapolit ...
W4978
24.08.2012
Let it Flow - David Borawski
WWW
Proposal for ANTI festival Let It Flow, 2008 Proposed for the RÖNÖ Bridge site. I would enlist local residents and any interested parties to be participants in the project. The group meets at beginning end of bridge. Each person is given a re ...
Proposal for ANTI festival Let It Flow, 2008 Proposed for the RÖNÖ Bridge site. I would enlist local residents and any interested parties to be participants in the project. The group meets at beginning end of bridge. Each person is given a re ...
W5231
08.10.2012
Trespassing - Ole Brodersen
WWW
The series “Trespassing” explores encounters between human and nature. Human-made objects are placed into a landscape, where their interactions with the natural elements are recorded. The photographer harnesses the forces of wind, currents and wave ...
The series “Trespassing” explores encounters between human and nature. Human-made objects are placed into a landscape, where their interactions with the natural elements are recorded. The photographer harnesses the forces of wind, currents and wave ...
W5236
09.10.2012
Dislocations - Iain McPherson
WWW
Object: To create a system of signage which illustrates and informs city centre travellers. Areas are colour coded and image coded according to local history and culture. Works are wall mounted and 3 dimensional. Project could be self-funded by u ...
Object: To create a system of signage which illustrates and informs city centre travellers. Areas are colour coded and image coded according to local history and culture. Works are wall mounted and 3 dimensional. Project could be self-funded by u ...
W4444
25.05.2011
Path to nothingness - Jenson Anto
WWW
Path to nothingness The mountains had been waiting for me, every rivulet, boulder, weathered rock too. And the icy winds let me know that. At 60kph, the wind resistance knocks down the speed to a mere 10kph and drills sand into my nose. Melting snow ha ...
Path to nothingness The mountains had been waiting for me, every rivulet, boulder, weathered rock too. And the icy winds let me know that. At 60kph, the wind resistance knocks down the speed to a mere 10kph and drills sand into my nose. Melting snow ha ...
W4422
25.05.2011
Drew Denny
WWW
After being diagnosed with a deadly brain tumor, I designed this architectural rendering for my brain as a house. I would construct an installation of my Brain House so that I might lead audiences through it as I perform my memories, fantasies, dreams ...
After being diagnosed with a deadly brain tumor, I designed this architectural rendering for my brain as a house. I would construct an installation of my Brain House so that I might lead audiences through it as I perform my memories, fantasies, dreams ...
W4301
24.05.2011
“UDLU” Underground Desert Living Unit - Reynard Loki
WWW
“UDLU” Underground Desert Living Unit The UDLU (Underground Desert Living Unit) is a conceptual single-family dwelling installed below the surface of a desert ecosystem. PROJECT Create and install “UDLU” demo house in the Chihuahuan Dese ...
“UDLU” Underground Desert Living Unit The UDLU (Underground Desert Living Unit) is a conceptual single-family dwelling installed below the surface of a desert ecosystem. PROJECT Create and install “UDLU” demo house in the Chihuahuan Dese ...