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.

Der New-Babyloner - Constant

Square Depression - Bruce Nauman

Tower Cranes, Paris  - Tadashi Kawamata

MAK - Wien  - Rosemarie Trockel

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

City Hall Tower Night Ilumination - Krysztof Wodiczko

The lmprobable Flow - Larry Bell

Ceinture - Huang Ping Yong

Time Magazine Cover - Robert Rauschenberg

Eislandschaft - P. Fischli und D. Weiss

Agency of Unrealised Projects
Logo by Liam Gillick
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Date
Title
Source
Description
Tags
W3648
15.05.2011
Lima 2427 - Camila Bustamante
WWW
Imaginative launch campaign for the Lima Urban Train (Peru) The works for the urban train of Lima (Peru) began in the middle ’80’s and were never completed due to the economic crisis and the incompetence of some governors. ...
Imaginative launch campaign for the Lima Urban Train (Peru) The works for the urban train of Lima (Peru) began in the middle ’80’s and were never completed due to the economic crisis and the incompetence of some governors. ...
W3647
15.05.2011
World Atlas - ANNA LASCARI
WWW
“World Atlas” is a visual depiction of worldwide hunger. It is a monument to all the people whose lives are in stake due to hunger, whether it is a child that dies every five seconds from hunger related causes, or those in the West who search dumpster ...
“World Atlas” is a visual depiction of worldwide hunger. It is a monument to all the people whose lives are in stake due to hunger, whether it is a child that dies every five seconds from hunger related causes, or those in the West who search dumpster ...
W3645
15.05.2011
Provincetown, Cape Cod, MA USA. 2006 - Jay Critchley
WWW
Provincetown, Cape Cod, MA USA. 2006 Martucket Eyeland Resort & Theme Park Following on the heels of the controversial industrial wind farm proposed for Nantucket Sound, a dramatic “third eyeland” resort and theme park has been proposed for the ...
Provincetown, Cape Cod, MA USA. 2006 Martucket Eyeland Resort & Theme Park Following on the heels of the controversial industrial wind farm proposed for Nantucket Sound, a dramatic “third eyeland” resort and theme park has been proposed for the ...
W3644
15.05.2011
Lucie Chan
WWW
I sometimes go to a library and spend an hour there finding certain books to leave cut out scraps of my old drawings, parts that I really like, s gifts. These drawings are small with short texts on them that are taken from books I own. ...
I sometimes go to a library and spend an hour there finding certain books to leave cut out scraps of my old drawings, parts that I really like, s gifts. These drawings are small with short texts on them that are taken from books I own. ...
W3642
15.05.2011
cara judea alhadeff
WWW
Since the early 90s, my photographs have been publicly defended by freedom of speech organizations such as artsave/People for the American Way, the Electronic Freedom Foundation, and the ACLU. By witnessing first hand people's reactionary tendencies and ...
Since the early 90s, my photographs have been publicly defended by freedom of speech organizations such as artsave/People for the American Way, the Electronic Freedom Foundation, and the ACLU. By witnessing first hand people's reactionary tendencies and ...
W3641
15.05.2011
Go Down Moses- Synopsis - Ahmad Hosni
WWW
Synopsis Go Down, Moses is book project that was conceived from the outset as a sequence of photographs existing in a relation to a parallel body of text.  The project is about a place in the process of becoming a tourist enclave and what has prec ...
Synopsis Go Down, Moses is book project that was conceived from the outset as a sequence of photographs existing in a relation to a parallel body of text.  The project is about a place in the process of becoming a tourist enclave and what has prec ...
W3640
14.05.2011
Proposal for a cooperation between a university and myself to solar light up a village in Lebanon.  - Roula Sorour
WWW
I never received any reply to my mail and therefore the project is in hybernation mode for now. Dear Professors, I read about the 2 jordanian bedouin illiterate women who were sent to India for 6 month to train as Solar engineers . Something similar ...
I never received any reply to my mail and therefore the project is in hybernation mode for now. Dear Professors, I read about the 2 jordanian bedouin illiterate women who were sent to India for 6 month to train as Solar engineers . Something similar ...
W3639
14.05.2011
lynn hershman Leeson
WWW
This project develops a series of clothing that repels surveillance systems, reflects environments and renders users invisible. ...
This project develops a series of clothing that repels surveillance systems, reflects environments and renders users invisible. ...
W3638
14.05.2011
lynn hershman Leeson
WWW
This piece reveals the biological system/internal workings of ballet dancers, particularly pregnant ones, who dance to the rhythm and sounds of their own blood stream and heartbeat. ...
This piece reveals the biological system/internal workings of ballet dancers, particularly pregnant ones, who dance to the rhythm and sounds of their own blood stream and heartbeat. ...
W3637
14.05.2011
lemeh42
WWW
Here are a couple of my two new illustrations. ...
Here are a couple of my two new illustrations. ...
W3636
14.05.2011
Shadows, 1999 - Ingrid Lahti
WWW
Shadows, 1999: Two airplane silhouettes (15’ x 9’ and 10’ x 7’, respectively) will be hung between the airplane hangars at the former Sand Point Naval Air Station. The silhouettes, chosen from WWII airplane recognition manuals, are those of the WW ...
Shadows, 1999: Two airplane silhouettes (15’ x 9’ and 10’ x 7’, respectively) will be hung between the airplane hangars at the former Sand Point Naval Air Station. The silhouettes, chosen from WWII airplane recognition manuals, are those of the WW ...
W3635
14.05.2011
Hay, Text - Jomar Statkun
WWW
“With plastic covered hay bales”, the hay bales have text silk screened on them. There would be many bales - with various texts printed on them. In the past, some texts have touched on ideas of defection and the workings of “offices”, as well a ...
“With plastic covered hay bales”, the hay bales have text silk screened on them. There would be many bales - with various texts printed on them. In the past, some texts have touched on ideas of defection and the workings of “offices”, as well a ...
W3634
14.05.2011
Centre Pompidou Mobile - Berger&Berger
WWW
Centre Pompidou Mobile

 Berger&Berger (Laurent P. Berger & Cyrille Berger) with T. Raynaud

 2009 Restricted competition

 1800 m²

Mobile art museum 

CNAC GEORGES-POMPIDOU, France

 Structural Engineer : Bollinger + Gro ...
Centre Pompidou Mobile

 Berger&Berger (Laurent P. Berger & Cyrille Berger) with T. Raynaud

 2009 Restricted competition

 1800 m²

Mobile art museum 

CNAC GEORGES-POMPIDOU, France

 Structural Engineer : Bollinger + Gro ...
W3633
14.05.2011
Le déclin du jour - Berger&Berger
WWW
Marché Couvert, Metz, France

 2010 City of Metz, France

 Structural Engineer : Bollinger + Grohmann (France) 

The advent of artificial light, which grew strongly during XXst century,
has gradually freed the man from the natural rhyt ...
Marché Couvert, Metz, France

 2010 City of Metz, France

 Structural Engineer : Bollinger + Grohmann (France) 

The advent of artificial light, which grew strongly during XXst century,
has gradually freed the man from the natural rhyt ...
W3632
14.05.2011
(model for) REMOTE CONTROLLED STARS or HOW TO CHANGE YOUR DESTINY - Mary Sherman
WWW
Once someone came up to the oh-so dandy J. McNeil Whistler and exclaimed that they were both from Lowell and just a year apart – he was 68; Whistler, 67. To which Whistler replied - for all to hear, of course - “Very charming! And so you are 68 and we ...
Once someone came up to the oh-so dandy J. McNeil Whistler and exclaimed that they were both from Lowell and just a year apart – he was 68; Whistler, 67. To which Whistler replied - for all to hear, of course - “Very charming! And so you are 68 and we ...
W3631
14.05.2011
Joseph Wheelwright
WWW
When New Hampshire's "Old Man in the Mountain" collapsed in 2003, I carved this stone model for a new old man from an entire mountain. Unfortunately funding has not yet materialized. ...
When New Hampshire's "Old Man in the Mountain" collapsed in 2003, I carved this stone model for a new old man from an entire mountain. Unfortunately funding has not yet materialized. ...
W3630
14.05.2011
an excerpt from one of my abandoned writing projects  - Chad Dawkins
WWW
But everything is flawed. Everything is dirty, broken, missing pieces, damaged, too cold or hot, flimsy, smells, quits working. Everything produces an unpleasant sound. Nothing is as powerful as the possibility of impending public humiliation. It really b ...
But everything is flawed. Everything is dirty, broken, missing pieces, damaged, too cold or hot, flimsy, smells, quits working. Everything produces an unpleasant sound. Nothing is as powerful as the possibility of impending public humiliation. It really b ...
W3629
14.05.2011
Central Park Monument to the Nimbus of Victory, 2009 - Peter Joslyn
WWW
The monument is one of a series of proposals for large scale public sculptures to celebrate the visionary nature of the artist. The aim is to bring to the world an understanding of the artists point of view by providing the spectacular, and by sharing the ...
The monument is one of a series of proposals for large scale public sculptures to celebrate the visionary nature of the artist. The aim is to bring to the world an understanding of the artists point of view by providing the spectacular, and by sharing the ...
W3628
14.05.2011
Liquid and Interactive Architecture - Duda Valle
WWW
Liquid and Interactive Architecture , 15 seconds of fame - the project consists of LED lights placed in a building that will take any form by an interactive interface that will appear on the pedestrian mobile phone by calling a certain number. ...
Liquid and Interactive Architecture , 15 seconds of fame - the project consists of LED lights placed in a building that will take any form by an interactive interface that will appear on the pedestrian mobile phone by calling a certain number. ...
W3627
14.05.2011
THEDEATHLYVIEWOFANAUDIOSCOPEBASTARD ONTHECAGEOFBRITNEY - Annabel Lange
WWW
eine Sound-Installation im öffentlichen Raum Konzept: Annabel Lange The course of the installation The Cage of Britney I As a bastard of perception the visitor confronts the installation which is stituated onto some urban waste land. One ha ...
eine Sound-Installation im öffentlichen Raum Konzept: Annabel Lange The course of the installation The Cage of Britney I As a bastard of perception the visitor confronts the installation which is stituated onto some urban waste land. One ha ...
W3626
14.05.2011
Détente Reflection 195 - Jenny Zhe Chang
WWW
Détente Reflection 195 will be a series of 195 sculptures of intercut, deconstructed and reconstructed table tennis bats that uncannily explores cultural fusions and disconnections between East and West. The word détente of the title refers to the perma ...
Détente Reflection 195 will be a series of 195 sculptures of intercut, deconstructed and reconstructed table tennis bats that uncannily explores cultural fusions and disconnections between East and West. The word détente of the title refers to the perma ...
W3625
14.05.2011
Radical Artist Workshop (RAW) - Radical Artist Workshop
WWW
Conceived in 2007, Radical Artist Workshop (RAW) is a blog of proposed projects and fictitious/real testimonials that question notions of radicality in contemporary art. ...
Conceived in 2007, Radical Artist Workshop (RAW) is a blog of proposed projects and fictitious/real testimonials that question notions of radicality in contemporary art. ...
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 ...
W3623
14.05.2011
Structure for Formal and Material Imagination - Scott Massey
WWW
Travel to another dimension has long held our fascination. From Alice’s tentative leap down the rabbit hole, Wade Davis’ experients with the worlds psychotropic flora, or teleporting from the bridge of the Starship Enterprise, exploration of alternat ...
Travel to another dimension has long held our fascination. From Alice’s tentative leap down the rabbit hole, Wade Davis’ experients with the worlds psychotropic flora, or teleporting from the bridge of the Starship Enterprise, exploration of alternat ...
W3622
14.05.2011
SIGHT UNSEEN - Marcy B. Freedman
WWW
“Message to curators: Whatever you’re doing right now, do something else next.” Roberta Smith (New York Times, February 14, 2010) THE CONCEPT: SIGHT UNSEEN is intended to challenge traditional notions of curatorial practice. The project establis ...
“Message to curators: Whatever you’re doing right now, do something else next.” Roberta Smith (New York Times, February 14, 2010) THE CONCEPT: SIGHT UNSEEN is intended to challenge traditional notions of curatorial practice. The project establis ...
W3621
14.05.2011
The 3 Muses of West Hollywood - Phil Tarley
WWW
Public Art For Street Installation in the City of West Hollywood, California ARTIST’S STATEMENT: THE 3 MUSES OF WEST HOLLYWOOD Who are we, the people of West Hollywood? Where do we come from? What do we do? As we live out our lives here ...
Public Art For Street Installation in the City of West Hollywood, California ARTIST’S STATEMENT: THE 3 MUSES OF WEST HOLLYWOOD Who are we, the people of West Hollywood? Where do we come from? What do we do? As we live out our lives here ...