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.

Chen H.V.O + G.T. - Bertrand Lavier

Battery Park City - Per Kirkeby

City Hall Tower Night Ilumination - Krysztof Wodiczko

Passage - Richard Wentworth

Projets non réalisés: - Daniel Buren

Nicht realisierte Projekte - Stefan Demary

Right-of-Privacy Release - Tony Oursler

Making for Art - 100 Unsucceeded Presentation - 1995, 1996,  - Yutaka Sone

Square Depression - Bruce Nauman

Engel-Detektor - Jakob Gautel & Jason Karaïndros

Agency of Unrealised Projects
Logo by Liam Gillick
#
Date
Title
Source
Description
Tags
W3616
13.05.2011
Fountion of Steam - Scott Hillman
WWW
This was a project i designed for a sculpture park, as a water element of such.. The owner didn't want a water feature and rejected it. As such it was never implimented though i made an estimate for around 2000.00 to build. The idea of it quite simply ...
This was a project i designed for a sculpture park, as a water element of such.. The owner didn't want a water feature and rejected it. As such it was never implimented though i made an estimate for around 2000.00 to build. The idea of it quite simply ...
W5315
18.10.2012
Garet Martin
WWW
The attached text document explains a wall sculpture that, due to lack of funding, I was not able to complete. -- My work is oftentimes inspired by objects, which I have encountered simply by living my life; trash on the sidewalk, patterns on the t- ...
The attached text document explains a wall sculpture that, due to lack of funding, I was not able to complete. -- My work is oftentimes inspired by objects, which I have encountered simply by living my life; trash on the sidewalk, patterns on the t- ...
W4345
24.05.2011
AGENCY FOR UNREALIZED PROJECTS - Paulo Luís Almeida
WWW
AGENCY FOR UNREALIZED PROJECTS Most part of my drawings are studies for non-performed actions. I began making them as previews for the documentation process, strategies of framing the sequences of small, often unnoticed, performances. Gradually, these ...
AGENCY FOR UNREALIZED PROJECTS Most part of my drawings are studies for non-performed actions. I began making them as previews for the documentation process, strategies of framing the sequences of small, often unnoticed, performances. Gradually, these ...
W3520
11.05.2011
Steingrimur Eyfjord
WWW
These ideas are from a project I am working on which has the working title “KELLINGIN“ and is a collection of ideas, text and images. ...
These ideas are from a project I am working on which has the working title “KELLINGIN“ and is a collection of ideas, text and images. ...
W5380
19.10.2012
Caution! Work in Progress - Geraldo Zamproni
WWW
Caution! Work in Progress Rack or plastic folding board with vibrant yellow tone is a warning message that awakens the immediate interest of the observer in conferring closely with looking at what is happening. ...
Caution! Work in Progress Rack or plastic folding board with vibrant yellow tone is a warning message that awakens the immediate interest of the observer in conferring closely with looking at what is happening. ...
W4487
25.05.2011
lori brown
WWW
The wificommune is a retro-fitted environmentally sustainable bus providing social services for the Seneca Nation communities in Upstate New York. Using solar power as a source of energy, this bus is designed to provide internet connections, a classroom ...
The wificommune is a retro-fitted environmentally sustainable bus providing social services for the Seneca Nation communities in Upstate New York. Using solar power as a source of energy, this bus is designed to provide internet connections, a classroom ...
W4238
24.05.2011
'HANOI DUCKS' - Dao Anh Khanh & Tamas Jovanovics
WWW
Dao Anh Khanh & Tamas Jovanovics 'HANOI DUCKS' (work title) PUBLIC ART PROJECT - in order to seek general awareness for ecological topics in Hanoi/Vietnam Project status: seeking for fundings Background of the project: After a long period of po ...
Dao Anh Khanh & Tamas Jovanovics 'HANOI DUCKS' (work title) PUBLIC ART PROJECT - in order to seek general awareness for ecological topics in Hanoi/Vietnam Project status: seeking for fundings Background of the project: After a long period of po ...
W4297
24.05.2011
WRAPPED MOON PROJECT - Reynard Loki
WWW
WRAPPED MOON PROJECT An Unrealized Project by Reynard Loki http://wrappedmoonproject.blogspot.com/ BACKGROUND On February 16, 1998, using the pseudonym of Red Q. Nary, I sent out the following e-mail to Woody Smith, the Curator of website of t ...
WRAPPED MOON PROJECT An Unrealized Project by Reynard Loki http://wrappedmoonproject.blogspot.com/ BACKGROUND On February 16, 1998, using the pseudonym of Red Q. Nary, I sent out the following e-mail to Woody Smith, the Curator of website of t ...
W3877
19.05.2011
Sound Of Trains - Derek Michael Besant
WWW
sound of underground train from another city as audio integration downtown in Canadian city Client: City of Calgary Development Dept. / Canada Date: 2002 Audio art integration into minor city pedestrian sidewalk downtown Calgary Alberta Canada. T ...
sound of underground train from another city as audio integration downtown in Canadian city Client: City of Calgary Development Dept. / Canada Date: 2002 Audio art integration into minor city pedestrian sidewalk downtown Calgary Alberta Canada. T ...
W3540
11.05.2011
New Bridge for Dilligence  - Tomas Pecha
WWW
new bridge for dilligence beer bridge for oversitting. sitting on more chairs, oversitting from place to placeinstead of direct movement and compulsory czech beer.some ideas are thirsty.some need to be oversitted. tommorrow reality. intention of new bri ...
new bridge for dilligence beer bridge for oversitting. sitting on more chairs, oversitting from place to placeinstead of direct movement and compulsory czech beer.some ideas are thirsty.some need to be oversitted. tommorrow reality. intention of new bri ...
W5238
09.10.2012
Nicole De Brabandere
WWW
AUP - Berliner Künstlerprogramm/ DAAD Nicole De Brabandere In 2009 I put in motion the possibility of amassing all of the doorknobs from an institutional building that was slated for demolition. After many phone calls to various authorities I disco ...
AUP - Berliner Künstlerprogramm/ DAAD Nicole De Brabandere In 2009 I put in motion the possibility of amassing all of the doorknobs from an institutional building that was slated for demolition. After many phone calls to various authorities I disco ...
W4635
25.05.2011
“Handy Space Bags”  - Valeska Peschke
WWW
“Handy Space Bags” Kafka wrote: "Everyone carries a room about him." Everyone carries a room about him through other rooms. I hope to examine and detect ‘traverse rooms’ . In daily life, moving through the city, the utilities needed are enclos ...
“Handy Space Bags” Kafka wrote: "Everyone carries a room about him." Everyone carries a room about him through other rooms. I hope to examine and detect ‘traverse rooms’ . In daily life, moving through the city, the utilities needed are enclos ...
W3715
17.05.2011
Deck Chair Gateway
 Proposal
 for 
Broward 
County, 
FL
 - Mags Harries & Lajos Héder
WWW
Increasingly, large‐scale buildings isolate surrounding neighborhoods from Broward County’s coast. An iconic gateway could reconnect the community to the water. DeckChair Gateway will rise up 14 Ft, offering a shaded passageway to the beach and a land ...
Increasingly, large‐scale buildings isolate surrounding neighborhoods from Broward County’s coast. An iconic gateway could reconnect the community to the water. DeckChair Gateway will rise up 14 Ft, offering a shaded passageway to the beach and a land ...
W5285
16.10.2012
Asurini  - Adriana
WWW
Asurini – Textile Design It was my last years in University (2006) when I developed and designed this project. It took 9 months searching and designing it. I was fascinated about the local (Brazilian Indians Asurini) body painting and the story behin ...
Asurini – Textile Design It was my last years in University (2006) when I developed and designed this project. It took 9 months searching and designing it. I was fascinated about the local (Brazilian Indians Asurini) body painting and the story behin ...
W5378
19.10.2012
Ocean Waves in the Desert Sky - Dena Peake
WWW
Set in a desert-like environment, the piece is a wind-activated, large scale kinetic sculpture that uses ocean imagery and sound. Windcatchers that resemble ocean waves are suspended above a rooftop to rotate and power the sound of ocean waves at street l ...
Set in a desert-like environment, the piece is a wind-activated, large scale kinetic sculpture that uses ocean imagery and sound. Windcatchers that resemble ocean waves are suspended above a rooftop to rotate and power the sound of ocean waves at street l ...
W4302
24.05.2011
Black Box - Anna Balint, Béla Káli, József Tasnádi
WWW
Black Box  is a parallel reconstruction project evaluating the unique by repetition, an analyse of the essential existence of unrealized architectural projects through their increasing concrete existence. We construct a database of  50 remarkable archit ...
Black Box  is a parallel reconstruction project evaluating the unique by repetition, an analyse of the essential existence of unrealized architectural projects through their increasing concrete existence. We construct a database of  50 remarkable archit ...
W4649
25.05.2011
Treska - Utopian Recreation  - Lundebye & Tham
WWW
Treska - Utopian Recreation | Recreating Utopia is a collaboration between Anette Lundebye and Mathilda Tham in partnership with Press to Exit Project Space, Macedonia. This project was invited as part of Press to Exit’s programme: Lectures, Presentati ...
Treska - Utopian Recreation | Recreating Utopia is a collaboration between Anette Lundebye and Mathilda Tham in partnership with Press to Exit Project Space, Macedonia. This project was invited as part of Press to Exit’s programme: Lectures, Presentati ...
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 ...
W3797
18.05.2011
Kerry Stuart Coppin
WWW
An unrealized project, submitted to the Agency of Unrealized Projects (AUP), May 18, 20011: PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION OF THE STONE CIRCLES OF SENEGAL AND THE GAMBIA ...
An unrealized project, submitted to the Agency of Unrealized Projects (AUP), May 18, 20011: PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION OF THE STONE CIRCLES OF SENEGAL AND THE GAMBIA ...
W4372
25.05.2011
Ren Jie
WWW
In Chinese tradition,touch the land with feet is very important to one's health and life. If you are far away from the natural land,the soil,the water,the grass,you will become uncomfortable and sick. But today,urbanization make more and more peopl ...
In Chinese tradition,touch the land with feet is very important to one's health and life. If you are far away from the natural land,the soil,the water,the grass,you will become uncomfortable and sick. But today,urbanization make more and more peopl ...
W4533
25.05.2011
Heim im Licht  - Heim in Licht
WWW
Heim im Licht Project's model 1:250. Photovoltaic system, conic structure of black rubber with thermal insulation and internal controlled conditions of temperature, humidity and air circulation. ∅ 4,5m x 3m. Inside the structure: young oak tree in lea ...
Heim im Licht Project's model 1:250. Photovoltaic system, conic structure of black rubber with thermal insulation and internal controlled conditions of temperature, humidity and air circulation. ∅ 4,5m x 3m. Inside the structure: young oak tree in lea ...
W4334
24.05.2011
METEORITE AL CONTRARIO (INVERTED METEORITE)  - Davide Bertocchi
WWW
METEORITE AL CONTRARIO (INVERTED METEORITE) - 2011 PROJECT. STONE, SPACE MISSION Courtesy the artist A medium size stone (more or less 50 cm x 50 cm x 50 cm) is sent into space. Like a meteorite but following an opposite trajectory, that is, inste ...
METEORITE AL CONTRARIO (INVERTED METEORITE) - 2011 PROJECT. STONE, SPACE MISSION Courtesy the artist A medium size stone (more or less 50 cm x 50 cm x 50 cm) is sent into space. Like a meteorite but following an opposite trajectory, that is, inste ...
W4183
24.05.2011
Green Times Square - Holly Tempo
WWW
Green Times Square Holly Tempo In late 2007, I was invited to participate in Green-er Sessions: Sketching Solutions to Climate Change, an exhibition in which artists, scientists and architects presented solutions for climate change. I submitted a pr ...
Green Times Square Holly Tempo In late 2007, I was invited to participate in Green-er Sessions: Sketching Solutions to Climate Change, an exhibition in which artists, scientists and architects presented solutions for climate change. I submitted a pr ...
U9610
01.01.1988
Tulips for Amsterdam - Isa Genzken
Unbuilt Roads
Auf dem Wege nach Amsterdam sollten wir 30 meter hohe stahltulpen im würde leicht Schwingend die Autofahrer. Links und rechts oder Autobahn begrußen. (Jede Blüte in ihre eigenen farbe) (eventually reasons why the work has not been realised) Die A ...
Auf dem Wege nach Amsterdam sollten wir 30 meter hohe stahltulpen im würde leicht Schwingend die Autofahrer. Links und rechts oder Autobahn begrußen. (Jede Blüte in ihre eigenen farbe) (eventually reasons why the work has not been realised) Die A ...
W3593
13.05.2011
VINE PEOPLE ARE NOT TERRORISTS - Dyan Marie
WWW
News reports claim my actions are that of an environmental terrorist organization: that we have unleashed a harmful toxin in the halls of power throughout the North America. ...
News reports claim my actions are that of an environmental terrorist organization: that we have unleashed a harmful toxin in the halls of power throughout the North America. ...
W4538
25.05.2011
G.R. and M.F. for Le C.C.C.
WWW
Cher A.U.P., nous abordons ces côtes optiques par cette lettre intraduisible pour essayer de décrocher un peu d'argent, ou du moins poursuivre notre existence momentanée par votre lecture profane. Ayant montré un intérêt pour les projets irré ...
Cher A.U.P., nous abordons ces côtes optiques par cette lettre intraduisible pour essayer de décrocher un peu d'argent, ou du moins poursuivre notre existence momentanée par votre lecture profane. Ayant montré un intérêt pour les projets irré ...