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.

Aus: Katalog 'Kunst bleibt Kunst' - Hans Peter Feldman

"400" - Manfred Pernice

City Hall Tower Night Ilumination - Krysztof Wodiczko

<A Public Misery Message> - Critical Art Ensemble

Time Magazine Cover - Robert Rauschenberg

Eislandschaft - P. Fischli und D. Weiss

654 THINGS from The United States - Edward Ruscha

Invitation Space No.1 - Tania Mouraud

The lmprobable Flow - Larry Bell

La Guerra De Los Simbolos - Victor Grippo

Agency of Unrealised Projects
Logo by Liam Gillick
#
Date
Title
Source
Description
Tags
W3719
17.05.2011
Fortune teller project - Trasi Henen
WWW
The idea was to go to ten fortune tellers in one day. I wanted to gather their information, document the audio and the spaces from where they worked. To look at ideas around objective truth, synchronicity, trust and meaning. ...
The idea was to go to ten fortune tellers in one day. I wanted to gather their information, document the audio and the spaces from where they worked. To look at ideas around objective truth, synchronicity, trust and meaning. ...
U9528
01.01.1988
Billboard - Jimmie Durham
Unbuilt Roads
a "U.S, Highway" - size billboard structure built along some street or auto-route. It would be complete with lights, but built on a structure to look at, that is to say, without a 'message' Without text or images superimposed. (eventually reasons why ...
a "U.S, Highway" - size billboard structure built along some street or auto-route. It would be complete with lights, but built on a structure to look at, that is to say, without a 'message' Without text or images superimposed. (eventually reasons why ...
W5251
10.10.2012
Katya Fialkova
WWW
The project was supposed to be a video in which an absurd woman tries to ‘fix’ nature. She puts skirts on trees, makeup on flowers and sunscreen on branches. She throws fabric over a gnarly tree stump to make it ‘prettier’. She measures a wide tre ...
The project was supposed to be a video in which an absurd woman tries to ‘fix’ nature. She puts skirts on trees, makeup on flowers and sunscreen on branches. She throws fabric over a gnarly tree stump to make it ‘prettier’. She measures a wide tre ...
W3775
18.05.2011
Repo Jet’ - Caitlin Berrigan
WWW
Archive of Unrealized Projects 18 May 2011 Dear AUP: I hope you will consider including ‘Repo Jet’ in your Archive of Unrealized Projects. Although I currently lack (and am seeking) the resources to complete it, the project is within the realms of r ...
Archive of Unrealized Projects 18 May 2011 Dear AUP: I hope you will consider including ‘Repo Jet’ in your Archive of Unrealized Projects. Although I currently lack (and am seeking) the resources to complete it, the project is within the realms of r ...
W4720
26.05.2011
Matthew-Robin Nye
WWW
1 – Islington Mill, Manchester. Submitted April 11 2011. Declined May 12 2011 To the Residency Awards Committee at the Islington Mill, Manchester: Thank you for taking the time to review my application for a 4-6 week Artist Residency at the Islingto ...
1 – Islington Mill, Manchester. Submitted April 11 2011. Declined May 12 2011 To the Residency Awards Committee at the Islington Mill, Manchester: Thank you for taking the time to review my application for a 4-6 week Artist Residency at the Islingto ...
W3944
20.05.2011
The Triumph of Oil Painting (TOP) - Mo Abd-Ulla
WWW
99 Iraqi artists will be invited to make 99 paintings of oil/ petroleum on paper or canvas. TOP is structured to take place at 99-public spaces for 33 days. It is an independently curated multi-site-showcasing 99 Oil painting of 99 emerging and establi ...
99 Iraqi artists will be invited to make 99 paintings of oil/ petroleum on paper or canvas. TOP is structured to take place at 99-public spaces for 33 days. It is an independently curated multi-site-showcasing 99 Oil painting of 99 emerging and establi ...
W3758
18.05.2011
Young Attractive Cool People - Evan Tyler
WWW
May 18/2011 In a humorous attempt to confront the urban uniform, I aim to ease the mysticism that surrounds “cool”, as well as alter the disposition of those who critique hip culture. I propose to organize an adventure through the streets of Canada ...
May 18/2011 In a humorous attempt to confront the urban uniform, I aim to ease the mysticism that surrounds “cool”, as well as alter the disposition of those who critique hip culture. I propose to organize an adventure through the streets of Canada ...
W4707
26.05.2011
Dear Earth - Lisa Hein and Robert Seng
WWW
DEAR EARTH Proposal for a Construction Fence 2007 DEAR is a salutation to strangers and intimates alike. The word began all written communication in English at one time. Now that friendly discourse travels electronically, the word DEAR is reserved ...
DEAR EARTH Proposal for a Construction Fence 2007 DEAR is a salutation to strangers and intimates alike. The word began all written communication in English at one time. Now that friendly discourse travels electronically, the word DEAR is reserved ...
W3813
19.05.2011
Bruce Gray
WWW
This is a wood sphere that I drilled into and mounted lots of high powered rare earth magnets. They are all facing the magnetic polarity in the same direction. There was also a large half sphere that I attached magnets with the polarity opposing the sph ...
This is a wood sphere that I drilled into and mounted lots of high powered rare earth magnets. They are all facing the magnetic polarity in the same direction. There was also a large half sphere that I attached magnets with the polarity opposing the sph ...
W3514
11.05.2011
“Future Show”  - Alexandra Hopf
WWW
“Future Show” is an ongoing investigation into objects of art that have vanished from the field of vision.  These objects were once housed within the original Future Show in the New York's Museum of Non-Objective Art from November to December of 1 ...
“Future Show” is an ongoing investigation into objects of art that have vanished from the field of vision.  These objects were once housed within the original Future Show in the New York's Museum of Non-Objective Art from November to December of 1 ...
W4585
25.05.2011
land in sight! / land? - Ulrich Ludat
WWW
land in sight! / land? [2011#02] Multimedia-based installation / performance Project description In a container1, of which the doors are opened at an angle of ca. 45°, there are 13 vacuum cleaners2. At the end of the container there is a projection scr ...
land in sight! / land? [2011#02] Multimedia-based installation / performance Project description In a container1, of which the doors are opened at an angle of ca. 45°, there are 13 vacuum cleaners2. At the end of the container there is a projection scr ...
W5280
15.10.2012
Hypermoi - David Guez
WWW
THE HYPERMOI David Guez http://www.guez.org Introduction The Hypermoi sets the hypothesis of the existence of a 'numerical ego' linked up to the internet network. This special ego would be a construction linked to our more and more 'emotional' and 'intens ...
THE HYPERMOI David Guez http://www.guez.org Introduction The Hypermoi sets the hypothesis of the existence of a 'numerical ego' linked up to the internet network. This special ego would be a construction linked to our more and more 'emotional' and 'intens ...
W5471
21.10.2012
La Gioconda Project - Gabor Ösz
WWW
Introduction A few years ago, when I first visited the Louvre, I was surprised to see that the signposts giving directions for the painting La Gioconda already started at the gates. As I was to learn later, there exists a form of cultural pilgrimage t ...
Introduction A few years ago, when I first visited the Louvre, I was surprised to see that the signposts giving directions for the painting La Gioconda already started at the gates. As I was to learn later, there exists a form of cultural pilgrimage t ...
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 ...
W3554
12.05.2011
Filipa Ramos & António Contador
WWW
Lisbon, May 12, 2011 Dear Agency of Unrealized Projects, We have been planning to write you for so long. In fact, it has been more than two years now, since we first felt the urge to share our thoughts with you. But we ended up never doing it until ...
Lisbon, May 12, 2011 Dear Agency of Unrealized Projects, We have been planning to write you for so long. In fact, it has been more than two years now, since we first felt the urge to share our thoughts with you. But we ended up never doing it until ...
U9706
01.01.1989
The insurer - Fabrice Hybert
Unbuilt Roads
Monsieur l'Abbe Pierre, il y a sans doute d'autres points que je n'ai pas imagines mais une conversation permettrait sans doute d'apporter des rectifications. Je sollicite votre bienveillance et votre engagement pour pouvoir m'autoriser a vous rencontr ...
Monsieur l'Abbe Pierre, il y a sans doute d'autres points que je n'ai pas imagines mais une conversation permettrait sans doute d'apporter des rectifications. Je sollicite votre bienveillance et votre engagement pour pouvoir m'autoriser a vous rencontr ...
W4049
22.05.2011
Geno project - Leo Morrissey
WWW
Ten years ago in a museum in Milan Italy it was pointed out to me that there was an uncanny resemblance between myself and one of the multitude of Roman marble bust sculptures in the museum… This moment got me thinking about the connections between peop ...
Ten years ago in a museum in Milan Italy it was pointed out to me that there was an uncanny resemblance between myself and one of the multitude of Roman marble bust sculptures in the museum… This moment got me thinking about the connections between peop ...
W4111
23.05.2011
“The Observed Observer" - Alexandre Dang
WWW
“The Observed Observer" Introduction Artist Alexandre Dang works on raising awareness on contemporary and extemporal issues. The installation of “The Observed Observer” offers the visitor to experience something totally unusual. This work enab ...
“The Observed Observer" Introduction Artist Alexandre Dang works on raising awareness on contemporary and extemporal issues. The installation of “The Observed Observer” offers the visitor to experience something totally unusual. This work enab ...
W10717
11.09.2014
Parallelle Projekte in der Stadt Münster, 1997 - Nicolaisen Terje
WWW
At my final year in the Academy I went to Münster to show my projects with Yellow Light. Should I wait till I am 60 to be invited or just go to the party uninvited? Kasper König made it clear to me in his office at Landesmuseum that this was a private p ...
At my final year in the Academy I went to Münster to show my projects with Yellow Light. Should I wait till I am 60 to be invited or just go to the party uninvited? Kasper König made it clear to me in his office at Landesmuseum that this was a private p ...
W10632
10.07.2014
It's About Time - Joel Leibowitz
WWW
To present Time without any subjective components other than it's own process and elemental philological descriptors. Two foam modules one comprised of the letters: TI the other ME "TI" - 64 FEET HIGH X 32 FEET WIDE carrying satellite guidance equip ...
To present Time without any subjective components other than it's own process and elemental philological descriptors. Two foam modules one comprised of the letters: TI the other ME "TI" - 64 FEET HIGH X 32 FEET WIDE carrying satellite guidance equip ...
W3796
18.05.2011
melissa day
WWW
Oil paintings varing sizes from 2 1/2 X 3 1/2 feet Experimenting with deliberate and accidental use of paint. Pouring paint allows a natural fluid style to occur .Then going back in these shapes and contain or control these ambiguous shapes... ...
Oil paintings varing sizes from 2 1/2 X 3 1/2 feet Experimenting with deliberate and accidental use of paint. Pouring paint allows a natural fluid style to occur .Then going back in these shapes and contain or control these ambiguous shapes... ...
U9253
01.01.1969
A FAIRLY TALL TOWER, 48,000 Miles High -  - Siah Armajani
Unbuilt Roads
Location: Outer Space Status: Theoretical study Proposal to build a self-supporting tower suspended in space but anchored at one point to the earth (U. S. ). All synchronous satellites of the earth are located at the synchronous altitude. This al ...
Location: Outer Space Status: Theoretical study Proposal to build a self-supporting tower suspended in space but anchored at one point to the earth (U. S. ). All synchronous satellites of the earth are located at the synchronous altitude. This al ...
W4759
27.05.2011
One Thousand Worlds in 16 minutes and 40 seconds - Nuala Clarke
WWW
TITLE: One Thousand Worlds in 16 minutes and 40 seconds FORM: A video installation in which 10 screens of indeterminate size are arranged site specifically. Each screen shows, for one second at a time, one of 1000 small square paintings from the exist ...
TITLE: One Thousand Worlds in 16 minutes and 40 seconds FORM: A video installation in which 10 screens of indeterminate size are arranged site specifically. Each screen shows, for one second at a time, one of 1000 small square paintings from the exist ...
U9487
01.01.1997
Placid Earth: A Project for the Meeting of Millennia - Cai Guo Quiang
Unbuilt Roads
Observed from space, the Earth at night is ablaze with lights. During the last second of this century and the first second of the next century--the two seconds when the millennia meet-all inhabitants of the Earth should turn off their lights, letting t ...
Observed from space, the Earth at night is ablaze with lights. During the last second of this century and the first second of the next century--the two seconds when the millennia meet-all inhabitants of the Earth should turn off their lights, letting t ...
W4642
25.05.2011
WHEN YOU CUT INTO THE PRESENT THE FUTURE LEAKS OUT (PRODUCTION OF SPACE) - ELENA BAJO
WWW
WHEN YOU CUT INTO THE PRESENT THE FUTURE LEAKS OUT (PRODUCTION OF SPACE) “The form of social space is encounter, assembly, simultaneity; social space implies actual or potential assembly at a single point or around that point.” - Henri Lefebvre, from ...
WHEN YOU CUT INTO THE PRESENT THE FUTURE LEAKS OUT (PRODUCTION OF SPACE) “The form of social space is encounter, assembly, simultaneity; social space implies actual or potential assembly at a single point or around that point.” - Henri Lefebvre, from ...
W5202
03.10.2012
Samuel Gray Society  - Darryl Lauster
WWW
    The Samuel Gray Society is an educational foundation dedicated to the preservation of 18th century American history and to the life of Samuel Gray, the great patriot from whom the SGS takes its name. Forged in the crucible of hist ...
    The Samuel Gray Society is an educational foundation dedicated to the preservation of 18th century American history and to the life of Samuel Gray, the great patriot from whom the SGS takes its name. Forged in the crucible of hist ...