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.

Monumento all'agricoltura 1969-70 - Alighiero Boetti

Post Photographic apparatus - Steven Pippin

Passage - Richard Wentworth

Untitled, modeled after the Leipzig Völkerschlachtdenkmal...  - Jenny Holzer

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

Project for the Initiative Mahnmal Homosexuellenverfolgung, Frankfurt  - Jeff Wall

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

Grand Concours International D'Architecture  - Mahe Gilles

Fax Transmission - Raymond Pettibone and Jason Rhoades

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

Agency of Unrealised Projects
Logo by Liam Gillick
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Date
Title
Source
Description
Tags
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 ...
W4745
26.05.2011
Solar City Tower for Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics - Rafael Schmidt, RAFAA
WWW
International Architecture Competition for the Olympic Games 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. „The project under consideration should be located in the bay of the city of Rio de Janeiro on the Cotonduba Island, which is the obligatory approach for aircraft la ...
International Architecture Competition for the Olympic Games 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. „The project under consideration should be located in the bay of the city of Rio de Janeiro on the Cotonduba Island, which is the obligatory approach for aircraft la ...
W4608
25.05.2011
jeffrey schiff
WWW
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 ...
W5439
20.10.2012
Alkis Hadjiandreou
WWW
There were many ends within the British ‘end of empire’, just as the people who had lived under its sway faced a 'rich assortment of futures'... Unlike the full panoply of decolonization celebrations which had been pioneered in India.... ...
There were many ends within the British ‘end of empire’, just as the people who had lived under its sway faced a 'rich assortment of futures'... Unlike the full panoply of decolonization celebrations which had been pioneered in India.... ...
W5382
19.10.2012
Marina Stavrou
WWW
By Marina Stavrou The ‘Unrealized project’ I am foreshadowing made its first ‘appearance’ first in 2011. The work tried to make visible the experience of keeping a secret. This secret took the form of bread for the shooting of a 16mm and ...
By Marina Stavrou The ‘Unrealized project’ I am foreshadowing made its first ‘appearance’ first in 2011. The work tried to make visible the experience of keeping a secret. This secret took the form of bread for the shooting of a 16mm and ...
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 ...
W3905
20.05.2011
Sarah Sipling
WWW
The unfinished abandoned start to a project involving changing images and ideas. A chance encounter with two drawing tools, a mannequin and a skeleton wrapped around each other. ...
The unfinished abandoned start to a project involving changing images and ideas. A chance encounter with two drawing tools, a mannequin and a skeleton wrapped around each other. ...
W4151
23.05.2011
The Treason of Images - Cornford & Cross
WWW
We were invited to submit a proposal for the Imperial War Museum, London, Commission on the aftermath of 11 September and war in Afghanistan. We proposed to install a short section of oil pipeline in Afghanistan, somewhere along one of the intended route ...
We were invited to submit a proposal for the Imperial War Museum, London, Commission on the aftermath of 11 September and war in Afghanistan. We proposed to install a short section of oil pipeline in Afghanistan, somewhere along one of the intended route ...
W4639
25.05.2011
Steve Kado
WWW
In March 2007 I was the artist in residence at the Department of Safety in Anacortes, WA, USA. Anacortes is a really small town. Partially out of frustration with me, my big city ways & my de-skilled & "post-conceptual" approach to the art task OLIVER ORI ...
In March 2007 I was the artist in residence at the Department of Safety in Anacortes, WA, USA. Anacortes is a really small town. Partially out of frustration with me, my big city ways & my de-skilled & "post-conceptual" approach to the art task OLIVER ORI ...
W10588
21.06.2014
The Surrey Flame - Jonathan Parsons
WWW
Proposal to re-use the dismantled aluminium Olympic Rings that were sited on Box Hill during the cycling road race of London 2012 The forms that resulted from the way the original aluminium Olympic rings had been deconstructed inspired me to design a s ...
Proposal to re-use the dismantled aluminium Olympic Rings that were sited on Box Hill during the cycling road race of London 2012 The forms that resulted from the way the original aluminium Olympic rings had been deconstructed inspired me to design a s ...
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 ...
W5099
13.09.2012
Seal of Salomon - Copa & Sordes
WWW
another idea for an ornament in public space See PDF ...
another idea for an ornament in public space See PDF ...
W4923
18.08.2012
Hadas Tapouchi
WWW
TadasTapouchiArtist_Statement. The main reason for myself to apply to this open call is to work in a new environment and to find (new) artistic ways of expression, and off course to Stimulate art on live, Create a beneficial environment for the deve ...
TadasTapouchiArtist_Statement. The main reason for myself to apply to this open call is to work in a new environment and to find (new) artistic ways of expression, and off course to Stimulate art on live, Create a beneficial environment for the deve ...
W4603
25.05.2011
FOOD | CITIES | EATS - allan siegel
WWW
• The Unrealised Project FOOD | CITIES | EATS was to be created from themes relating to food production, shopping routines and the public and private spaces shaped by the needs of human survival, economic competition and social interaction. It was to d ...
• The Unrealised Project FOOD | CITIES | EATS was to be created from themes relating to food production, shopping routines and the public and private spaces shaped by the needs of human survival, economic competition and social interaction. It was to d ...
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 ...
W5318
18.10.2012
Dialogue - Thiago Parizi
WWW
05.2010 The project entitled “Dialogue” consists of a ping-pong table and two sound speakers. Measuring a total of 274 x 152 x 136 cm, this unfinished installation would have both speakers facing each other at both of the extremities of the table. ...
05.2010 The project entitled “Dialogue” consists of a ping-pong table and two sound speakers. Measuring a total of 274 x 152 x 136 cm, this unfinished installation would have both speakers facing each other at both of the extremities of the table. ...
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 ...
W3880
19.05.2011
fly-though - Kasper Kovitz
WWW
‘fly-though’ animation of this project at: http://www.re-title.com/artists/Kasper-Kovitz3.asp ‘witchbunker’, a project begun in 2001, is a walk-in sculpture. It consists of a one-room traditional American pioneer log cabin encased in a concret ...
‘fly-though’ animation of this project at: http://www.re-title.com/artists/Kasper-Kovitz3.asp ‘witchbunker’, a project begun in 2001, is a walk-in sculpture. It consists of a one-room traditional American pioneer log cabin encased in a concret ...
U9858
01.01.1995
"400" - Manfred Pernice
Unbuilt Roads
1995-96 Weile bestand ein Zusammenhang. eng. [unleserlich] ihn nicht gesucht. Möglichkeiten nahm er nicht wahr. Das Sockel (1) ergibt 11-fach vervielfältigt, Modell einer grosser Wohn- und Geschäftsanlag; [M?]aßtab 1:100, welches im Ausstellung ...
1995-96 Weile bestand ein Zusammenhang. eng. [unleserlich] ihn nicht gesucht. Möglichkeiten nahm er nicht wahr. Das Sockel (1) ergibt 11-fach vervielfältigt, Modell einer grosser Wohn- und Geschäftsanlag; [M?]aßtab 1:100, welches im Ausstellung ...
W3819
19.05.2011
raphaele cohen-bacry
WWW
This is an example of the 50 dolls I made between 2007 and 2010. I used ‘’ugly’’, standardized dolls made in China and was interested in turning them into unique ‘’hand-made’’ dolls with a lot of personality and character. Each measures 4X ...
This is an example of the 50 dolls I made between 2007 and 2010. I used ‘’ugly’’, standardized dolls made in China and was interested in turning them into unique ‘’hand-made’’ dolls with a lot of personality and character. Each measures 4X ...
W3527
11.05.2011
POINT & SHOOT @70 MPH - Ellen Jantzen
WWW
​I took a series of photos out of the passenger window while on a 6,000 mile road trip in spring from Missouri to California and back using a point and shoot camera. I used this type of camera deliberately to capture images in a very spontaneous way. Ma ...
​I took a series of photos out of the passenger window while on a 6,000 mile road trip in spring from Missouri to California and back using a point and shoot camera. I used this type of camera deliberately to capture images in a very spontaneous way. Ma ...
W5359
19.10.2012
Malignant Ego Boxes - Levan Manjavidze
WWW
Idea for installation, sculpture, which is impossible to realize for me at the moment because of time that runs so fast! One peaceful evening I observed feeling of jealousy and clearly saw that its similar of feeling envy.
In both cases you long fo ...
Idea for installation, sculpture, which is impossible to realize for me at the moment because of time that runs so fast! One peaceful evening I observed feeling of jealousy and clearly saw that its similar of feeling envy.
In both cases you long fo ...
W4679
26.05.2011
“Freud is the Mirror of Marx” - Andrea Goldman
WWW
“Freud is the Mirror of Marx” would be a photographic show down a long hallway or narrow room. On one side of the hallway, images tangentially related to Freudian thought are hung, across from each image is a photograph tangentially related to Marxist ...
“Freud is the Mirror of Marx” would be a photographic show down a long hallway or narrow room. On one side of the hallway, images tangentially related to Freudian thought are hung, across from each image is a photograph tangentially related to Marxist ...
W4427
25.05.2011
THE AUDIENCE IS DEAD  - fabienne audeoud
WWW
THE AUDIENCE IS DEAD Fabienne Audéoud In 2000, I was living in London when my partner went mad. I fully realized it the night he obsessively asked me if I understood that millions of people were dying in Africa. I had replied that I couldn’t, I jus ...
THE AUDIENCE IS DEAD Fabienne Audéoud In 2000, I was living in London when my partner went mad. I fully realized it the night he obsessively asked me if I understood that millions of people were dying in Africa. I had replied that I couldn’t, I jus ...
W4662
25.05.2011
The Wardenclyffe Gift  - Craig Leonard
WWW
The Wardenclyffe Gift Craig Leonard In November 2009, the bronze plaque donated by the Yugoslavian Government on July 10, 1976 for the commemoration of the Wardenclyffe communication tower, Nikola Tesla's last remaining laboratory building, was sto ...
The Wardenclyffe Gift Craig Leonard In November 2009, the bronze plaque donated by the Yugoslavian Government on July 10, 1976 for the commemoration of the Wardenclyffe communication tower, Nikola Tesla's last remaining laboratory building, was sto ...