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.

Brücke Wein-Kanal Arch. Hermann Czech, Wein - Franz West

The Clock - Ayse Erkmen

NON REALIZED PROJECTS - Christo and Jeanne-Claude

Financial Times Millennium Bridge Competition - Richard Serra and Frank Gehry

Battery Park City - Per Kirkeby

Temple of the western buddha (1971 Kathmedu) - Herman de Vries

Engel-Detektor - Jakob Gautel & Jason Karaïndros

Memorial - Ilya Kabakov

The World Record - General Idea

PROJEKT - Ulrich Rückreim

Agency of Unrealised Projects
Logo by Liam Gillick
#
Date
Title
Source
Description
Tags
W4159
23.05.2011
Asymmetric Flight - andreas kopp
WWW
Asymmetric Flight Concept for a mobilé in public space. With attached documents I would like to introduce a concept (from 2009) which I so far have not been able to realize. ...
Asymmetric Flight Concept for a mobilé in public space. With attached documents I would like to introduce a concept (from 2009) which I so far have not been able to realize. ...
W4175
24.05.2011
BIYING ZHANG
WWW
As a young Chinese artist living in the United States, Zhang feels a strong sense of being a foreign person in this country especially after her marriage to a US citizen. In her artwork, Zhang explores the difference and displacement that she feels. ...
As a young Chinese artist living in the United States, Zhang feels a strong sense of being a foreign person in this country especially after her marriage to a US citizen. In her artwork, Zhang explores the difference and displacement that she feels. ...
U9764
01.01.1974
Just Before Dawn - David Lamelas
Unbuilt Roads
Color/16m.m - 50 minutes/£800 JUST BEFORE DAWN by Davd Lamelas The project is basically an analysis of the elements by which narative primarily works on Film Narrative conventions. There is already something that we understand as "comme ...
Color/16m.m - 50 minutes/£800 JUST BEFORE DAWN by Davd Lamelas The project is basically an analysis of the elements by which narative primarily works on Film Narrative conventions. There is already something that we understand as "comme ...
W10676
13.08.2014
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 ...
W4069
23.05.2011
Alishia Duncanson
WWW
Title: “Mission Impossible 1” Materials: Wood and M.D.F board Corridor space containing 5- 20 drawings in space, creating semi obstructed spaces to be engaged with by the viewer. The work asks the viewer to investigate both space and time as each ...
Title: “Mission Impossible 1” Materials: Wood and M.D.F board Corridor space containing 5- 20 drawings in space, creating semi obstructed spaces to be engaged with by the viewer. The work asks the viewer to investigate both space and time as each ...
W4109
23.05.2011
Floating Gardens of Rock City - Liliane Lijn
WWW
Floating Gardens of Rock City 1970 63.5 x 53 cm Collaged newspaper / magazine cuttings mounted on coloured card Exhibited in Propositions for Unrealised Projects Howard Wise Gallery, New York A set of four collages in which I visualised transform ...
Floating Gardens of Rock City 1970 63.5 x 53 cm Collaged newspaper / magazine cuttings mounted on coloured card Exhibited in Propositions for Unrealised Projects Howard Wise Gallery, New York A set of four collages in which I visualised transform ...
W4799
10.11.2011
Test
WWW
This is a test. Please ignore. ...
This is a test. Please ignore. ...
W4803
07.08.2012
Rice Island - joaquin gasgonia palencia
WWW
Rice Island is an exploration of artistic and proactive artistic+technological interventions to one of the world's problems - that of global food supply. TITLE: RICE ISLAND CONCEPT: The concept is to create a floating rice paddy off the pier of an is ...
Rice Island is an exploration of artistic and proactive artistic+technological interventions to one of the world's problems - that of global food supply. TITLE: RICE ISLAND CONCEPT: The concept is to create a floating rice paddy off the pier of an is ...
W5120
18.09.2012
Future Perfect - Deirdre M. Donoghue
WWW
Future Perfect Future Perfect is an archive, a library and an exchange centre consisting of memories contributed by people of all ages and backgrounds. Contributions include memories inscribed in various ways; short texts, objects and images with short ...
Future Perfect Future Perfect is an archive, a library and an exchange centre consisting of memories contributed by people of all ages and backgrounds. Contributions include memories inscribed in various ways; short texts, objects and images with short ...
W5384
20.10.2012
The EXTRA MUROS project - Amina Menia
WWW
The EXTRA MUROS project (2005 – ongoing) This project is an ongoing series of urban installations in the city of Algiers where I revisit legendary places, landmark venues, urban gaps. My interventions crystallize in a space not in an artwork. The ...
The EXTRA MUROS project (2005 – ongoing) This project is an ongoing series of urban installations in the city of Algiers where I revisit legendary places, landmark venues, urban gaps. My interventions crystallize in a space not in an artwork. The ...
U9731
01.01.1988
Tower Cranes, Paris  - Tadashi Kawamata
Unbuilt Roads
Please see the enclosed leaflet· "Tower Crane, Paris" (eventually reasons why the work has not been realised) Financial, technical and organisation problems Previous Publications (?) Enclosed ...
Please see the enclosed leaflet· "Tower Crane, Paris" (eventually reasons why the work has not been realised) Financial, technical and organisation problems Previous Publications (?) Enclosed ...
W4966
22.08.2012
Bed-line - Efi Spyrou
WWW
Efi’s video “bed-line” invites us to mentally traverse a sterile, claustrophobic environment that includes more than one single spatial dimension in its space and more than one single temporal dimension in time. It emanates the energy of the absent, ...
Efi’s video “bed-line” invites us to mentally traverse a sterile, claustrophobic environment that includes more than one single spatial dimension in its space and more than one single temporal dimension in time. It emanates the energy of the absent, ...
W3689
16.05.2011
Mike Mosher
WWW
Painting community murals in early 1980s San Francisco, California [see "Artist!" on Bad Subjects website], I made many sketches and proposals, like the "Children's Checkerboard". After 1984, I began to link imagery in paintings with symbols & schematics ...
Painting community murals in early 1980s San Francisco, California [see "Artist!" on Bad Subjects website], I made many sketches and proposals, like the "Children's Checkerboard". After 1984, I began to link imagery in paintings with symbols & schematics ...
W5206
03.10.2012
12 x 12 - Georgia Kotretsos
WWW
Originally submitted to the 12 x 12 Project Space at the MCA in Chicago in 2003/04. The submitted images are showing the model book made for the demonstrative needs of the project. The size of the model book is H 6 x W 4,5 x 1, 5 cm and it pops-up /unfol ...
Originally submitted to the 12 x 12 Project Space at the MCA in Chicago in 2003/04. The submitted images are showing the model book made for the demonstrative needs of the project. The size of the model book is H 6 x W 4,5 x 1, 5 cm and it pops-up /unfol ...
W3844
19.05.2011
I want to do the laundry; or rather I want to finish the laundry - Svava Thordis Juliusson
WWW
TO: Agency of Unrealized Projects I want to do the laundry; or rather I want to finish the laundry. It is a project that poses vague theoretical and aesthetic questions, but to explore possible ways to put an end to this task could forever change the t ...
TO: Agency of Unrealized Projects I want to do the laundry; or rather I want to finish the laundry. It is a project that poses vague theoretical and aesthetic questions, but to explore possible ways to put an end to this task could forever change the t ...
W5142
21.09.2012
The White Box - Vdrey feat Schultz
WWW
PRESENTATION This performance created in 2010 by musician and performer VDREY and SCHULTZ was presented in 2010 and 2011 in various countries such as France, Austria, Germany, Switzerland or Poland. In order to made a new alternative to their perfo ...
PRESENTATION This performance created in 2010 by musician and performer VDREY and SCHULTZ was presented in 2010 and 2011 in various countries such as France, Austria, Germany, Switzerland or Poland. In order to made a new alternative to their perfo ...
W4670
26.05.2011
Translating Missed Time  - April Lamm and Franz Stauffenberg
WWW
Translating Missed Time In Rococo England, 1751, the British usurped its citizens of 11 days. That is, September 3 became September 14th with the wave of a parliamentary wand. Riots ensued, placards were held high in the streets proclaiming “Give u ...
Translating Missed Time In Rococo England, 1751, the British usurped its citizens of 11 days. That is, September 3 became September 14th with the wave of a parliamentary wand. Riots ensued, placards were held high in the streets proclaiming “Give u ...
W4855
08.08.2012
A kiss on Leyli's Navel - Neda Tavallaee
WWW
This is a work that emphasizes on telling the life story of an Iranian woman through the use of the Chador,which is a traditional islamic covering. Proposal Title:A kiss on Leyli's navel.(The birth,life and death of an Iranian woman) I would like to e ...
This is a work that emphasizes on telling the life story of an Iranian woman through the use of the Chador,which is a traditional islamic covering. Proposal Title:A kiss on Leyli's navel.(The birth,life and death of an Iranian woman) I would like to e ...
W4875
09.08.2012
Tradutraditore - Michele Molinari
WWW
TRADUTRADITORE from Italian traduttore/traditore, translator/traitor; human 1, machine 0. Description Development Artists DESCRIPTION from Italian traduttore/traditore, translator/traitor; human 1, machine 0. Tradutraditore is an in ...
TRADUTRADITORE from Italian traduttore/traditore, translator/traitor; human 1, machine 0. Description Development Artists DESCRIPTION from Italian traduttore/traditore, translator/traitor; human 1, machine 0. Tradutraditore is an in ...
W4863
09.08.2012
Zeitstück - Alexander Hahn
WWW
Zeitstück Video-Installation von Alexander Hahn, vers. Juni 05, 1996 Beschreibung Entstehung: Eingeladene Wettbewerbseingabe Kunst am Bau Neubau ETH Leonardstrasse Zürich. Nicht realisiert. Die Jury befürchtete damals, die Studenten könnten s ...
Zeitstück Video-Installation von Alexander Hahn, vers. Juni 05, 1996 Beschreibung Entstehung: Eingeladene Wettbewerbseingabe Kunst am Bau Neubau ETH Leonardstrasse Zürich. Nicht realisiert. Die Jury befürchtete damals, die Studenten könnten s ...
U9293
01.01.1978
The World is a Theater and we each have a role - Louise Bourgeois
Unbuilt Roads
A circular construction in wood, painted sky blue and white. In 3 dimensions. An upside down dome. A small figure stands in the center. (eventually reasons why the work has not be realized) Complicated and too expensive but never discarded. ...
A circular construction in wood, painted sky blue and white. In 3 dimensions. An upside down dome. A small figure stands in the center. (eventually reasons why the work has not be realized) Complicated and too expensive but never discarded. ...
W4100
23.05.2011
YOU[bahn]TUBE  - GH Hovagimyan
WWW
When we go down into the subway there is always in the back of our minds a series of film clips playing. These are subway scenes from movies we have seen during the course of our lives. This is part of a larger media context, a media collective unconsciou ...
When we go down into the subway there is always in the back of our minds a series of film clips playing. These are subway scenes from movies we have seen during the course of our lives. This is part of a larger media context, a media collective unconsciou ...
W5148
23.09.2012
La hora 103 - Albert Negredo
WWW
La hora 103. Mental and/or pencil on paper. ...
La hora 103. Mental and/or pencil on paper. ...
W4830
07.08.2012
Carbonsphere - Evelyn Rosenberg and Anthony Hyde
WWW
Black balls represent carbon atoms. They are piled in the bottom of the container at their present accumulation in the atmosphere. Each time an equivalent amount of carbon is released in the atmosphere a ball would be dropped. Each time a carbon reductio ...
Black balls represent carbon atoms. They are piled in the bottom of the container at their present accumulation in the atmosphere. Each time an equivalent amount of carbon is released in the atmosphere a ball would be dropped. Each time a carbon reductio ...
W5452
20.10.2012
TRANSCULTURAL BODHISATTVA STUDIES: RE-CONSIDERING THE BODHISATTVA ICON IN A TRANSCULTURAL AND GLOBAL CONTEXT - Isabel Seliger
WWW
Oct. 20, 2012 Isabel Seliger, PhD Proposal for Berliner Künstlerprogramm/ DAAD “unrealized projects” TRANSCULTURAL BODHISATTVA STUDIES: RE-CONSIDERING THE BODHISATTVA ICON IN A TRANSCULTURAL AND GLOBAL CONTEXT Project Abstract: Art histor ...
Oct. 20, 2012 Isabel Seliger, PhD Proposal for Berliner Künstlerprogramm/ DAAD “unrealized projects” TRANSCULTURAL BODHISATTVA STUDIES: RE-CONSIDERING THE BODHISATTVA ICON IN A TRANSCULTURAL AND GLOBAL CONTEXT Project Abstract: Art histor ...
W3583
13.05.2011
Green Architecture - Francesco Fossati
WWW
wall installation variable dimensions water pain on wall and oil on paper transfered on wooden tables (26 x 19 cm each element) The project consists of a large installation that runs on the walls, creating a visually stunning work of able to relate g ...
wall installation variable dimensions water pain on wall and oil on paper transfered on wooden tables (26 x 19 cm each element) The project consists of a large installation that runs on the walls, creating a visually stunning work of able to relate g ...