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.

The bridge according to Jeong-a's dream - Koo Jeong

Attitudine Diplomatica - Hermann Pitz

Right-of-Privacy Release - Tony Oursler

Progetto per Gerry Schum - Guiseppe Penone

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

The Clock - Ayse Erkmen

Time Magazine Cover - Robert Rauschenberg

119. PROJET DE DESTRUCTION DU MUSEE 1970 - 1971 - Jef Geys

Monument to Democracy - Kounellis

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

Agency of Unrealised Projects
Logo by Liam Gillick
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Date
Title
Source
Description
Tags
W4172
24.05.2011
The Neverending Fence - Tom Butler
WWW
Statement for The Agency Of Unrealized Projects I use found postcards as miniature environments for sinister and fantastical scenarios. These proposals are not intended be realized and are also distanced from us by the age of the postcard, the only pl ...
Statement for The Agency Of Unrealized Projects I use found postcards as miniature environments for sinister and fantastical scenarios. These proposals are not intended be realized and are also distanced from us by the age of the postcard, the only pl ...
W4689
26.05.2011
UNSOLICITED - Laszlo Marsch
WWW
UNSOLICITED Dear H.U.O. and G.T., I own a copy of "Unbuild Roads". It is exciting that "residuals" and "failures" see the daylight. Going through the book and reading the intro it is obvious that most of the projects, even if unrealized, were based on c ...
UNSOLICITED Dear H.U.O. and G.T., I own a copy of "Unbuild Roads". It is exciting that "residuals" and "failures" see the daylight. Going through the book and reading the intro it is obvious that most of the projects, even if unrealized, were based on c ...
W4195
24.05.2011
PURGATORIUM - Zoran Velimanovic
WWW
PURGATORIUM Purgatorium is a total art project with site-specific concept, which combines a contemporary visual art work with classical cultural values. The project focuses on the great and challenging theme of the Purgatory and tries to discover its mea ...
PURGATORIUM Purgatorium is a total art project with site-specific concept, which combines a contemporary visual art work with classical cultural values. The project focuses on the great and challenging theme of the Purgatory and tries to discover its mea ...
W3700
17.05.2011
Las Spratlys Project - Jevijoe Vitug
WWW
Las Spratlys Project The unrealized project Las Spratlys is based on Spratly Islands, a disputed islands claimed by China, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei. The initial concept is to activate these islands by creating a joint venture agreement ...
Las Spratlys Project The unrealized project Las Spratlys is based on Spratly Islands, a disputed islands claimed by China, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei. The initial concept is to activate these islands by creating a joint venture agreement ...
W5270
13.10.2012
neomad - GrubyPunkt Urban Lab
WWW
TITLE: [neomad] AUTHOR: GrubyPunkt Urban Lab WWW: grubypunkt.tumblr.com Nomadism is the oldest lifestyle of human species. Human has been a nomad for the most part of his history. Mongols, Bedouins, Saamis still move their living space with t ...
TITLE: [neomad] AUTHOR: GrubyPunkt Urban Lab WWW: grubypunkt.tumblr.com Nomadism is the oldest lifestyle of human species. Human has been a nomad for the most part of his history. Mongols, Bedouins, Saamis still move their living space with t ...
W4726
26.05.2011
The Centralizer - Scott Richardson
WWW
The Centralizer The inspiration for this device came about to address the plight of the city-dweller trapped in a densely populated urban environment, who needed to decompress, ground themselves, and/or get in touch with nature and natural rhythms, a ...
The Centralizer The inspiration for this device came about to address the plight of the city-dweller trapped in a densely populated urban environment, who needed to decompress, ground themselves, and/or get in touch with nature and natural rhythms, a ...
W5274
15.10.2012
Regret - Francesca Arri
WWW
Francesca Arri Regret 2010, onions, size ambient In a place of forced passage, without windows, which can be accessed through a curtain, you find yourself in front of a floor completely covered with onions, cut almost all the user will have to st ...
Francesca Arri Regret 2010, onions, size ambient In a place of forced passage, without windows, which can be accessed through a curtain, you find yourself in front of a floor completely covered with onions, cut almost all the user will have to st ...
W4190
24.05.2011
ZhangLu
WWW
The political speech in China, most of speaker are speaked with unacceptable slow tunes. And clapping of the time may longer than a sentence. This project is consists of tow parts, a book and an online game. The book is about how to made the handclap in d ...
The political speech in China, most of speaker are speaked with unacceptable slow tunes. And clapping of the time may longer than a sentence. This project is consists of tow parts, a book and an online game. The book is about how to made the handclap in d ...
W10766
26.11.2014
Monument to civilization - Pablo Angel Lugo
WWW
A patinated plaster sculpture marble natural scale, contains two characters, the first is a riot police in position conqueror in one hand have a coat of riot police and the other as if it were a weapon, a piece of post and finally this a video surveillanc ...
A patinated plaster sculpture marble natural scale, contains two characters, the first is a riot police in position conqueror in one hand have a coat of riot police and the other as if it were a weapon, a piece of post and finally this a video surveillanc ...
W5026
31.08.2012
Blow Job - Peter Friedl
WWW
Blow Job Peter Friedl Proposal, Hamburger Kunsthalle, 2004 Blow Job (working title) is an exhibition project dealing with theatricality and its media possibilities. In the form of a monographically structured project, I treat various themes with wh ...
Blow Job Peter Friedl Proposal, Hamburger Kunsthalle, 2004 Blow Job (working title) is an exhibition project dealing with theatricality and its media possibilities. In the form of a monographically structured project, I treat various themes with wh ...
W3760
18.05.2011
2345 - Isabela Grosseova and Jesper Alvaer
WWW
2345 Public art proposal for Atlantic Ocean Drive, Norway. (English summary) (Norwegian in attached pdf) English summary: 2345: Proposal for the Atlantic Ocean Road 2010 The Atlantic Ocean Road (AOR) function already as a national monument. It ...
2345 Public art proposal for Atlantic Ocean Drive, Norway. (English summary) (Norwegian in attached pdf) English summary: 2345: Proposal for the Atlantic Ocean Road 2010 The Atlantic Ocean Road (AOR) function already as a national monument. It ...
U10007
01.09.1995
Merci, Thank you, Danke: Les 2 sujets  - Thomas Hirschorn
Unbuilt Roads
Pour les affichés 4x3 devant l'immeuble Valois/Saint-Honoré je propose deux sujets issus de la serie "merci, Thank you, Danke". Ces sujets sont deux collages sur carton d'un format assez petit (eviron 20x40 pour l'un et 20x40 pour l'autre) Cette serie j ...
Pour les affichés 4x3 devant l'immeuble Valois/Saint-Honoré je propose deux sujets issus de la serie "merci, Thank you, Danke". Ces sujets sont deux collages sur carton d'un format assez petit (eviron 20x40 pour l'un et 20x40 pour l'autre) Cette serie j ...
W3912
20.05.2011
"Blue Plaque Portraits" [Working Title] - Jill Chong
WWW
Dear Resident of __________________________________, My name is Jill Chong and I am a second year student of fine art at Goldsmiths College. I am writing to you because I am currently doing a project based on English Heritage’s Blue Plaques scheme. M ...
Dear Resident of __________________________________, My name is Jill Chong and I am a second year student of fine art at Goldsmiths College. I am writing to you because I am currently doing a project based on English Heritage’s Blue Plaques scheme. M ...
W4677
26.05.2011
storefront display sale - Jenny Polak
WWW
Alien Vernacular: storefront display sale Jenny Polak, In Practice Proposal for Sculpture Center, 2008 For this project I will to go round stores in different NY neighbourhoods, to collect (document by drawing and photographing) their designs for exte ...
Alien Vernacular: storefront display sale Jenny Polak, In Practice Proposal for Sculpture Center, 2008 For this project I will to go round stores in different NY neighbourhoods, to collect (document by drawing and photographing) their designs for exte ...
W4107
23.05.2011
Warning (Potters Bar) - Victoria Halford and Steve Beard
WWW
An unrealisable proposal for a public sculpture Intention Warning ( Potters Bar) is a proposal to reconstruct an emblematic moment from a train derailment which occurred in England in 2002. The life-size sculpture would consist of a wrecked train carr ...
An unrealisable proposal for a public sculpture Intention Warning ( Potters Bar) is a proposal to reconstruct an emblematic moment from a train derailment which occurred in England in 2002. The life-size sculpture would consist of a wrecked train carr ...
W3964
21.05.2011
THE LIBRARY - Liliana Gelman
WWW
The library is a project about books and readers. It consist of two parts, one is the photographic register of books rescued from the street, the beach, or even from the garbage, over my years of immigrant in Israel. los libros de la biblioteca no tie ...
The library is a project about books and readers. It consist of two parts, one is the photographic register of books rescued from the street, the beach, or even from the garbage, over my years of immigrant in Israel. los libros de la biblioteca no tie ...
W5386
20.10.2012
Vickie Jo Franks
WWW
My plan was to make the front yard a moss garden beneath large oak trees here and create moss sculptures including a nativity scene with little moss trees and small animals.I used recycable materials as the armatures.... ...
My plan was to make the front yard a moss garden beneath large oak trees here and create moss sculptures including a nativity scene with little moss trees and small animals.I used recycable materials as the armatures.... ...
W5250
10.10.2012
the candy cottage - Marisa Dipaola
WWW
As a child fascinated by storybook worlds, I found the Brothers’ Grimm “Hansel and Gretel” to be one of the most enchanting tales, especially the children’s discovery of the woodland candy cottage. Although built by a witch, as a sculptor, I have ...
As a child fascinated by storybook worlds, I found the Brothers’ Grimm “Hansel and Gretel” to be one of the most enchanting tales, especially the children’s discovery of the woodland candy cottage. Although built by a witch, as a sculptor, I have ...
W4606
25.05.2011
“LA MEMOIRE DU GESTE” - Maria Dundakova
WWW
MARIA DUNDAKOVA © PROJECT “LA MEMOIRE DU GESTE”- SOLSTICE Theme: Art and Environment. Landscape interacting between natural event and social event 1995 Luxembourg, European Capital of Culture, Valley of the Corn ...
MARIA DUNDAKOVA © PROJECT “LA MEMOIRE DU GESTE”- SOLSTICE Theme: Art and Environment. Landscape interacting between natural event and social event 1995 Luxembourg, European Capital of Culture, Valley of the Corn ...
W3853
19.05.2011
Identity Correlations - Yu-Hang Huang
WWW
“Identity Correlations” is a series of documentaries of my journey while wearing various houses in different environments and searching for a place to fit in. ...
“Identity Correlations” is a series of documentaries of my journey while wearing various houses in different environments and searching for a place to fit in. ...
W4117
23.05.2011
Water and air - Marisa Prefer
WWW
Water and air, the two essential fluids on which all life depends, have become global garbage cans.  -Jacques Yves Cousteau I am working using well-known objects as well as invisible devices. Creating multidimensional collage using public space and a ...
Water and air, the two essential fluids on which all life depends, have become global garbage cans.  -Jacques Yves Cousteau I am working using well-known objects as well as invisible devices. Creating multidimensional collage using public space and a ...
W4746
26.05.2011
Freiheits- und Einheitsdenkmal - Rafael Schmidt, RAFAA
WWW
Freiheits- und Einheitsdenkmal Berlin Competition In the autumn of 1989, a growing number of courageous citizens in many cities of the GDR conquered their fear and rose against the totalitarian regime of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED). ...
Freiheits- und Einheitsdenkmal Berlin Competition In the autumn of 1989, a growing number of courageous citizens in many cities of the GDR conquered their fear and rose against the totalitarian regime of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED). ...
W4094
23.05.2011
UNREALIZEABLE PROJECT A000008 - Stefano W. Pasquini
WWW
UNREALIZEABLE PROJECT A000008: The gallery wall gets shot with a machine gun. The project almost got realized in 1996 in a gallery in Maastricht. Unfortunately the Dutch Police wouldn't allow the shooting to happen, even without public, and advised the us ...
UNREALIZEABLE PROJECT A000008: The gallery wall gets shot with a machine gun. The project almost got realized in 1996 in a gallery in Maastricht. Unfortunately the Dutch Police wouldn't allow the shooting to happen, even without public, and advised the us ...
W5312
17.10.2012
Empire - Elena Dubrova
WWW
We would like to introduce to Your attention our short non embodied project. The project itself can be incarnate but his idea is reverse. We named it ‘Empire’. Project consist series of photo ( 5 pieces) and 1 gif. image. It consists awareness, ...
We would like to introduce to Your attention our short non embodied project. The project itself can be incarnate but his idea is reverse. We named it ‘Empire’. Project consist series of photo ( 5 pieces) and 1 gif. image. It consists awareness, ...
W4148
23.05.2011
The Ambassadors - Cornford & Cross
WWW
The Ambassadors 2001 We were invited to submit proposals for the 2002 Liverpool Biennial. Our proposal, titled The Ambassadors, would have consisted of a set of flags of those nations with which HM Government did not maintain diplomatic relations. The ...
The Ambassadors 2001 We were invited to submit proposals for the 2002 Liverpool Biennial. Our proposal, titled The Ambassadors, would have consisted of a set of flags of those nations with which HM Government did not maintain diplomatic relations. The ...
W5431
20.10.2012
Clizia Cortese
WWW
Project 1 – It was the original idea…a new “dress” for my cutlery… a new grip for a knife, a fork, a spoon, which are not very changed in their functional part ( taking food!) but exactly in their grip! It doesn’t seem comfortable at first gla ...
Project 1 – It was the original idea…a new “dress” for my cutlery… a new grip for a knife, a fork, a spoon, which are not very changed in their functional part ( taking food!) but exactly in their grip! It doesn’t seem comfortable at first gla ...