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.

2 Architecture Towers - Robert Irwin

PROJEKT - Ulrich Rückreim

Der New-Babyloner - Constant

Projets non réalisés: - Daniel Buren

<A Public Misery Message> - Critical Art Ensemble

The World Record - General Idea

119. PROJET DE DESTRUCTION DU MUSEE 1970 - 1971 - Jef Geys

Engel-Detektor - Jakob Gautel & Jason Karaïndros

"Ileana, I love you" - Maurizo Cattelan

Monument with Rust - Gustav Metzger

Agency of Unrealised Projects
Logo by Liam Gillick
#
Date
Title
Source
Description
Tags
W5355
19.10.2012
Lara Ogel
WWW
A book of mistranslations and poetry. Constructed, organized, cut and glued, fixated with images, texts and words. From English to Turkish to Turkish to English to Turkish once more. Arranged newspaper clippings to produce a new sound. Growing up bili ...
A book of mistranslations and poetry. Constructed, organized, cut and glued, fixated with images, texts and words. From English to Turkish to Turkish to English to Turkish once more. Arranged newspaper clippings to produce a new sound. Growing up bili ...
W4586
25.05.2011
UEBERSCHRIEBEN (Transferred/ Overwritten) - Rudolf Herz / Reinhard Matz
WWW
UEBERSCHRIEBEN (Transferred/ Overwritten) Memorial for the murdered European Jews Outline 1997 Preliminary remarks Our proposal UEBERSCHRIEBEN draws its impetus from the failure of the traditional art of memorials and the manifold problems deriving f ...
UEBERSCHRIEBEN (Transferred/ Overwritten) Memorial for the murdered European Jews Outline 1997 Preliminary remarks Our proposal UEBERSCHRIEBEN draws its impetus from the failure of the traditional art of memorials and the manifold problems deriving f ...
W5082
07.09.2012
The sign that would attract people to an empty area.  - Annika Eriksson
WWW
The sign that would attract people to an empty area. For the show When Attitudes Become Form Become Attitudes at Wattis Institute in San Francisco this year I wanted to place an illuminated sign in the vast empty lot just behind the institution, a l ...
The sign that would attract people to an empty area. For the show When Attitudes Become Form Become Attitudes at Wattis Institute in San Francisco this year I wanted to place an illuminated sign in the vast empty lot just behind the institution, a l ...
W5496
30.10.2012
Hermitage Pilgrimage: Art Video - Sheridan Lowrey
WWW
The first project, "Contemporary Neo-Objective Sculpture," describes a combination of objects, an installation, which I prefer to leave as text. The second, "Hermitage Toilet Overflow," an unawarded sabbatical proposal. Sheridan Lowrey Full-time Fa ...
The first project, "Contemporary Neo-Objective Sculpture," describes a combination of objects, an installation, which I prefer to leave as text. The second, "Hermitage Toilet Overflow," an unawarded sabbatical proposal. Sheridan Lowrey Full-time Fa ...
W4066
23.05.2011
Public Phones - János Sugár
WWW
My work is a public telephone located centrally in a city, or in the lobby of a public building. There is a board above the telephone on which is written: "This is a free phone, but the conversations are being recorded and published later word by word." ...
My work is a public telephone located centrally in a city, or in the lobby of a public building. There is a board above the telephone on which is written: "This is a free phone, but the conversations are being recorded and published later word by word." ...
W4725
26.05.2011
Billy Apple
WWW
Billy Apple Unrealised Project: To reinstate Frank Lloyd Wright’s door The Guggenheim Museum, New York The Solomon R Guggenheim Museum is signed on the outside in a square red tile with the architect’s initials, FLW. It came to my attention in t ...
Billy Apple Unrealised Project: To reinstate Frank Lloyd Wright’s door The Guggenheim Museum, New York The Solomon R Guggenheim Museum is signed on the outside in a square red tile with the architect’s initials, FLW. It came to my attention in t ...
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. ...
W4402
25.05.2011
"Things We Never Did" - Claus Prokop
WWW
"Things We Never Did" Aware of the fact that showing unrealized work is a step towards realization I am submitting two collections of material separated into software and hardware. Both of them are part of a bigger, absolutely unsystematic, collection ...
"Things We Never Did" Aware of the fact that showing unrealized work is a step towards realization I am submitting two collections of material separated into software and hardware. Both of them are part of a bigger, absolutely unsystematic, collection ...
W4543
25.05.2011
TO/HERE. moving an insignificant signal. - Paula Massarutti
WWW
TO/HERE. moving an insignificant signal. [mass performance + object exhibition + production registers]. Suplicantes [Supplicants] – historical and symbolic context [Las Precolombinas] Pre- Columbian images known as the suplicantes, [see image 1] ...
TO/HERE. moving an insignificant signal. [mass performance + object exhibition + production registers]. Suplicantes [Supplicants] – historical and symbolic context [Las Precolombinas] Pre- Columbian images known as the suplicantes, [see image 1] ...
W5078
06.09.2012
Underground tourist centre  - HR-Stamenov
WWW
“ Underground tourist centre to be used in the event of a hypothetic nuclear winter” author HR-Stamenov In the period following a hypotheticl thermo-nuclear war, the earth’s surface would experience “nuclear winter”.... See PDF ...
“ Underground tourist centre to be used in the event of a hypothetic nuclear winter” author HR-Stamenov In the period following a hypotheticl thermo-nuclear war, the earth’s surface would experience “nuclear winter”.... See PDF ...
W4056
23.05.2011
pencil drawings on paper by Jack Kirby and Thom of Finland - Paul Beuchat
WWW
Exhibition of pencil drawings on paper by Jack Kirby and Thom of Finland focusing on images that are similar in form, material and subject matter - muscular men in uniform - to expose the drawn line as a perfect mirror of the maker, independently of form ...
Exhibition of pencil drawings on paper by Jack Kirby and Thom of Finland focusing on images that are similar in form, material and subject matter - muscular men in uniform - to expose the drawn line as a perfect mirror of the maker, independently of form ...
W5130
19.09.2012
IDENSITAT Documentation Project - Leo Morrissey
WWW
IDENSITAT Documentation Project WRITTEN DOC. Project to take place in Kyoto Japan. Place postcards throughout the city, the postcards will be pre stamped, the viewer (finder) will be welcome to take a card and send it to someone... ...
IDENSITAT Documentation Project WRITTEN DOC. Project to take place in Kyoto Japan. Place postcards throughout the city, the postcards will be pre stamped, the viewer (finder) will be welcome to take a card and send it to someone... ...
W5432
20.10.2012
Sheli Lehadpasa (Mine for printing) - Tamar Lederberg
WWW
Sheli Lehadpasa (Mine for printing) Art constitutes a tool for contending with difficult psychological situations. A situation of loss and pain generates creative forces. An illness triggered fervent creativity in my mother. The trauma following her il ...
Sheli Lehadpasa (Mine for printing) Art constitutes a tool for contending with difficult psychological situations. A situation of loss and pain generates creative forces. An illness triggered fervent creativity in my mother. The trauma following her il ...
W3935
20.05.2011
John Roloff
WWW
The works presented here are part of a large group of 'unrealized' projects engaging landscape, metaphor, geologic/human time and natural systems. The descriptive text for each project submitted is included with each image. ...
The works presented here are part of a large group of 'unrealized' projects engaging landscape, metaphor, geologic/human time and natural systems. The descriptive text for each project submitted is included with each image. ...
W4478
25.05.2011
Carlos Aranda Márquez
WWW
What does it mean Estados Unidos Mexicanos? I always wanted to form a drawing of Oaxaca, the state where I was born,with members of the Red Soviet Army singing Canción Mixteca, a song I assumed it was composed by Ricardo Flores Magón, while in prison, t ...
What does it mean Estados Unidos Mexicanos? I always wanted to form a drawing of Oaxaca, the state where I was born,with members of the Red Soviet Army singing Canción Mixteca, a song I assumed it was composed by Ricardo Flores Magón, while in prison, t ...
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 ...
W5055
03.09.2012
School in Berriozar - Taller Basico de Arquitectura [TBA]
WWW
School in Berriozar (2008) The building offers a unified image according to its public condition. This image is based on the sum of modular elements that respond to the program. The proposal provides a reference image inside Berriozar's residential are ...
School in Berriozar (2008) The building offers a unified image according to its public condition. This image is based on the sum of modular elements that respond to the program. The proposal provides a reference image inside Berriozar's residential are ...
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. ...
W4397
25.05.2011
Flâneur - konstantinos-antonios goutos / the[video]Flâneu®
WWW
PROJECT [video]Flâneu® The artist walks like a „Flâneur“ through the city. He does not have a turtle with him (as the original Parisian Flâneur of the 1830‘s used to); later, he does not write stories (as Edgar Allan Poe or Hans Christian Ande ...
PROJECT [video]Flâneu® The artist walks like a „Flâneur“ through the city. He does not have a turtle with him (as the original Parisian Flâneur of the 1830‘s used to); later, he does not write stories (as Edgar Allan Poe or Hans Christian Ande ...
W3766
18.05.2011
francine LeClercq
WWW
image 1: Exit, local law 26, study for an un-threaded stair. image 2: study for spatial composition of laser levels in exhibition space ...
image 1: Exit, local law 26, study for an un-threaded stair. image 2: study for spatial composition of laser levels in exhibition space ...
W3569
12.05.2011
National Address, Art Education for the public 1985  - Julianna Balogh
WWW
Concept Educating the public about the arts, all arts! With the help of the most powerful medium, mainstream television. Medium Projection of images from the history of art, starting with Nike of Samothrace. Location Highly visible location, pref ...
Concept Educating the public about the arts, all arts! With the help of the most powerful medium, mainstream television. Medium Projection of images from the history of art, starting with Nike of Samothrace. Location Highly visible location, pref ...
W3806
18.05.2011
(Home)Squat Residency - Melissa Wyman
WWW
(Home)Squat Residency What it is: (Home)Squat Residency is a framework for artists to find their own residency opportunities and another model of patronage for art enthusiasts. (Anyone can follow this model.) How it works: This project follow ...
(Home)Squat Residency What it is: (Home)Squat Residency is a framework for artists to find their own residency opportunities and another model of patronage for art enthusiasts. (Anyone can follow this model.) How it works: This project follow ...
W4558
25.05.2011
rezaafsari
WWW
W4086
23.05.2011
Revolution Tree - Grace Weir
WWW
Revolution Tree consists of the siting of a large mature Oak tree, where its rootball is planted in a purpose built container that is extremely slowly continuously revolving. The container and all mechanics are hidden underground and the work is completel ...
Revolution Tree consists of the siting of a large mature Oak tree, where its rootball is planted in a purpose built container that is extremely slowly continuously revolving. The container and all mechanics are hidden underground and the work is completel ...
W4150
23.05.2011
Painting as a Pastime 2001  - Cornford & Cross
WWW
Painting as a Pastime 2001 Brett Prestidge Compton Verney, Oxfordshire, England (2000) Courtesy of Stanton Williams Architects We were invited to submit a proposal for Compton Verney, Oxfordshire, England. Our proposal was to offer a single first priz ...
Painting as a Pastime 2001 Brett Prestidge Compton Verney, Oxfordshire, England (2000) Courtesy of Stanton Williams Architects We were invited to submit a proposal for Compton Verney, Oxfordshire, England. Our proposal was to offer a single first priz ...
W4468
25.05.2011
Bürger Schöpfung Ewigkeit  - Gabriele Juvan
WWW
Bürger Schöpfung Ewigkeit (i.e. Citizen Creation Eternity) is a site specific, temporary project conceived for ,Luisenburg‘ rock labyrinth (Felsenlabyrinth) next to the city of Wunsiedel on the German/Czech border: *Six eye-catching rocks on a loop tr ...
Bürger Schöpfung Ewigkeit (i.e. Citizen Creation Eternity) is a site specific, temporary project conceived for ,Luisenburg‘ rock labyrinth (Felsenlabyrinth) next to the city of Wunsiedel on the German/Czech border: *Six eye-catching rocks on a loop tr ...