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.

Messages to the Public - Nancy Spero

d'un projet dédié aux victimes de la Shoah. - Christian Boltanski

Prima del 73 - Fabio Mauri

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

Ceinture - Huang Ping Yong

Electronic Theater - Laurie Anderson

Fax Transmission - Raymond Pettibone and Jason Rhoades

Notebook Page: Home in the Form of a Banana with Garage,  - Claes Oldenburg

Broadway Musicals - Christian Marclay

Post Photographic apparatus - Steven Pippin

Agency of Unrealised Projects
Logo by Liam Gillick
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Date
Title
Source
Description
Tags
W4160
23.05.2011
Absolut Hypocrisy II - simon tyszko
WWW
Absolut Hypocrisy II reference: Notes further to a number of meetings at both the Bolivian and Venezuelan embassies in London Dearest Zuleiva (cultural attaché Venezuela, London) The projects i am proposing are to be a high profile individual ...
Absolut Hypocrisy II reference: Notes further to a number of meetings at both the Bolivian and Venezuelan embassies in London Dearest Zuleiva (cultural attaché Venezuela, London) The projects i am proposing are to be a high profile individual ...
W4146
23.05.2011
Art School - Cornford & Cross
WWW
Art School would have occupied the Chisenhale Gallery, London, for one month to facilitate an explicit and implicit enquiry into notions of the art school. With contributions from artists, writers and curators, the project would have encouraged participa ...
Art School would have occupied the Chisenhale Gallery, London, for one month to facilitate an explicit and implicit enquiry into notions of the art school. With contributions from artists, writers and curators, the project would have encouraged participa ...
W4772
29.05.2011
Unrealized Artist Identity - Katharina Galla
WWW
Unrealized Artist Identity This project is a life. Embodied by a person, who is frequently reckoned to be an artists. "So, you are an artist…", they say. Sometimes, I embrace my unrealized identity. It feels like a factoid, not a li ...
Unrealized Artist Identity This project is a life. Embodied by a person, who is frequently reckoned to be an artists. "So, you are an artist…", they say. Sometimes, I embrace my unrealized identity. It feels like a factoid, not a li ...
W10322
01.01.2009
The Untouchable  - John Xaviers
WWW
Proposal submitted by John Xaviers for City as Studio to SARAI, CSDS In the form of a graphic novel/essay, I would like to explore Delhi-Gurgaon bus journey. These buses which are always crowded become the space and occasion where physical touch is per ...
Proposal submitted by John Xaviers for City as Studio to SARAI, CSDS In the form of a graphic novel/essay, I would like to explore Delhi-Gurgaon bus journey. These buses which are always crowded become the space and occasion where physical touch is per ...
W5294
16.10.2012
Western Gateway to Iowa - Andrew Leicester
WWW
Western Gateway to Iowa – The Energy State Iowa is the largest US producer of corn which is increasing devoted to ethanol production. Iowa is also a leader in wind power generation especially in the western edges of the state. Iowa’s most famous ...
Western Gateway to Iowa – The Energy State Iowa is the largest US producer of corn which is increasing devoted to ethanol production. Iowa is also a leader in wind power generation especially in the western edges of the state. Iowa’s most famous ...
W5480
21.10.2012
mosque - Marek Kucharski
WWW
The aim of the installation "mosque" is to draw public attention to the changes that occurred for a few years in the Polish culture. Currently, due to the increasing level of wealth in Poland, our country is increasingly becoming a target of emigration. ...
The aim of the installation "mosque" is to draw public attention to the changes that occurred for a few years in the Polish culture. Currently, due to the increasing level of wealth in Poland, our country is increasingly becoming a target of emigration. ...
W5119
18.09.2012
The Screenshot Project - Lisa De Boeck
WWW
The Screenshot Project After years of photographing and digital manipulation, I felt that I needed a bit more roughness, the imperfect roughness you have when using software in an unconventional way. ...
The Screenshot Project After years of photographing and digital manipulation, I felt that I needed a bit more roughness, the imperfect roughness you have when using software in an unconventional way. ...
W4800
20.01.2012
Turf - IDADA Art Pavilion - Jeremy Tubbs
WWW
Turf - IDADA Art Pavilion Super Bowl weekend will coincide with the IDADA First Friday Art Tour on Friday February 3rd. The Indianapolis Downtown Artists and Dealers Association (IDADA) are hosting a unique, visual arts event and pavilion in downtown Ind ...
Turf - IDADA Art Pavilion Super Bowl weekend will coincide with the IDADA First Friday Art Tour on Friday February 3rd. The Indianapolis Downtown Artists and Dealers Association (IDADA) are hosting a unique, visual arts event and pavilion in downtown Ind ...
W4834
07.08.2012
Encapsulation - Michael Haight
WWW
Encapsulation is a project based on the power the white cube has to confer "art object-ness" onto whatever is contained inside as well its ability to select and reject what is to be encapsulated. The project has not yet been realized because of lack of fu ...
Encapsulation is a project based on the power the white cube has to confer "art object-ness" onto whatever is contained inside as well its ability to select and reject what is to be encapsulated. The project has not yet been realized because of lack of fu ...
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 ...
U9747
01.01.1968
A House of Dust - Alison Knowles
Unbuilt Roads
The House of Dust was first a computer poem using fortran language. The quatrains are all different, each line randomly connected. The form shifting categories for the house are: the material of manufature, the locations the light source and the inhabitan ...
The House of Dust was first a computer poem using fortran language. The quatrains are all different, each line randomly connected. The form shifting categories for the house are: the material of manufature, the locations the light source and the inhabitan ...
W4630
25.05.2011
Newark Orphan Asylum - Ann LePore
WWW
Newark Orphan Asylum is a proposal for public art at NJIT Alumni Center at 323 Marlin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Newark. In conjunction with Do1thing.org, an organization for homeless youth, and/or Heart Gallery of New Jersey (heartgallerynj.org), an organiz ...
Newark Orphan Asylum is a proposal for public art at NJIT Alumni Center at 323 Marlin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Newark. In conjunction with Do1thing.org, an organization for homeless youth, and/or Heart Gallery of New Jersey (heartgallerynj.org), an organiz ...
W4571
25.05.2011
Argh! - Paco Contreras
WWW
Tilted Argh! Since its inception the Roman civilization had exalted its leaders. Rome had always awaited the arrival of good news from its generals with great concern; in hope of securing protection of the Empire. The Romans were tremendously respect ...
Tilted Argh! Since its inception the Roman civilization had exalted its leaders. Rome had always awaited the arrival of good news from its generals with great concern; in hope of securing protection of the Empire. The Romans were tremendously respect ...
W4610
25.05.2011
Flags of Empire - Dread Scott
WWW
Flags of Empire would be a circle of flagpoles each flying a flag of a past or present empire. The flags are from the following countries: Japan, Spain (17th century flag), Nazi Germany, France, Rome (vexillum from the ancient Roman Empire), Russia, Otto ...
Flags of Empire would be a circle of flagpoles each flying a flag of a past or present empire. The flags are from the following countries: Japan, Spain (17th century flag), Nazi Germany, France, Rome (vexillum from the ancient Roman Empire), Russia, Otto ...
W3854
19.05.2011
Yu-Hang Huang
WWW
I am always interested in “Transitional” or “In Between” -a process of transformation. I believe that the transitional state is one kind of human conditions that we all have to face sometime in our live. ...
I am always interested in “Transitional” or “In Between” -a process of transformation. I believe that the transitional state is one kind of human conditions that we all have to face sometime in our live. ...
W4177
24.05.2011
"Let the Seasons Begin" - Steven Beckly
WWW
"Let the Seasons Begin" is a series of performance-based images inspired by a recurring dream character with anthropomorphic elephant features. In my dreams, this character existed in isolation from tangible surroundings and environments. ...
"Let the Seasons Begin" is a series of performance-based images inspired by a recurring dream character with anthropomorphic elephant features. In my dreams, this character existed in isolation from tangible surroundings and environments. ...
W4557
25.05.2011
Gravity - Kristin Jones / Andrew Ginzel
WWW
Gravity Proposal for the Pantheon Rome, Italy ...
Gravity Proposal for the Pantheon Rome, Italy ...
W5363
19.10.2012
A Constructivist Artifact for Mourning the Weekdays - Inbal Strauss
WWW
These sketches for a sculpture titled A Constructivist Artifact for Mourning the Weekdays, remain as a two dimensional proposal for the time being. As a sculptor, I use investigative sketching as a creative development tool for a sculpture that will event ...
These sketches for a sculpture titled A Constructivist Artifact for Mourning the Weekdays, remain as a two dimensional proposal for the time being. As a sculptor, I use investigative sketching as a creative development tool for a sculpture that will event ...
W3696
16.05.2011
Man thrown from his environment torned
pick up his mess
rhea his route
rolling in his fate - Alicia Larraín
WWW
The concept of this Art installation is to emphasize the segmentation or boundary as a subtle , ambiguous limit, which divides areas, confining people, separating them in the world they inhabit.  Allowing them to free themselves from their imprisonmen ...
The concept of this Art installation is to emphasize the segmentation or boundary as a subtle , ambiguous limit, which divides areas, confining people, separating them in the world they inhabit.  Allowing them to free themselves from their imprisonmen ...
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. ...
W4222
24.05.2011
C’era una volta il West (Spiel mir das Lied vom Tod) - Costa Vece
WWW
C’era una volta il West (Spiel mir das Lied vom Tod) Projekt von Costa Vece, 2005 Künstlerischer Wettbewerb für den Speichervorplatz in Bremen-Vegesack "Man hängt immer zwischen Himmel und Erde und gehört weder hier noch dort hin." E ...
C’era una volta il West (Spiel mir das Lied vom Tod) Projekt von Costa Vece, 2005 Künstlerischer Wettbewerb für den Speichervorplatz in Bremen-Vegesack "Man hängt immer zwischen Himmel und Erde und gehört weder hier noch dort hin." E ...
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 ...
W3553
12.05.2011
Maskbook - MAP Office [Gutierrez + Portefaix]
WWW
"Conceived as a sardonic take on the popular social networking website Facebook, www.makbook.net, intends to provide avatars in virtual worlds such as Second Life with a network of their virtual identities. The logic of Maskbook is derived from the seemin ...
"Conceived as a sardonic take on the popular social networking website Facebook, www.makbook.net, intends to provide avatars in virtual worlds such as Second Life with a network of their virtual identities. The logic of Maskbook is derived from the seemin ...
W5283
15.10.2012
FORTIFICATION PROJECT PROPOSAL FOR GERMAN PAVILION - Hakan Topal
WWW
A FORTIFICATION PROJECT PROPOSAL FOR GERMAN PAVILION, VENICE by Hakan Topal, 2009 In the beginning of February of 2009, I proposed a project to Liam Gillick to be realized at the periphery of the German Pavilion in Venice's Giardini. I had no intention to ...
A FORTIFICATION PROJECT PROPOSAL FOR GERMAN PAVILION, VENICE by Hakan Topal, 2009 In the beginning of February of 2009, I proposed a project to Liam Gillick to be realized at the periphery of the German Pavilion in Venice's Giardini. I had no intention to ...
W4017
22.05.2011
Ich bin Berliner ( I am a Berliner) - Martin Mlecko
WWW
In 1986, Martin Mlecko conceived the work "Ich bin Berliner, Michail Gorbatschow". Invited by a group of Berlin curators and artists, the work should have been installation on billboards ...
In 1986, Martin Mlecko conceived the work "Ich bin Berliner, Michail Gorbatschow". Invited by a group of Berlin curators and artists, the work should have been installation on billboards ...
W4517
25.05.2011
”I did go upstairs but I didn’t see nobody but me” - Daniel Permanetter
WWW
The work is a room installation basically consisting of a live-sized Bob Dylan puppet and an old wooden staircase. The staircase will be rebuild so it appears to be frozen in a crumbling movement. The whole installation is meant to resemble the interior o ...
The work is a room installation basically consisting of a live-sized Bob Dylan puppet and an old wooden staircase. The staircase will be rebuild so it appears to be frozen in a crumbling movement. The whole installation is meant to resemble the interior o ...