Lectures The historical destiny of humanity has a certain incurable absurdity
Biography
Yao Jui Chung specializes in photography, installation and art theory. The themes of his work are varied, but most importantly they examine the absurdity of the human plight. Representative works include his Action Series which examines the subjective problems of Taiwan’s Military take over (1994), Recovering Mainland China (1997),which subverts the modern Chinese political myths and The World is for All (1997~2000), which examines post-colonialism. All of these works examine the absurdity of history. At present he is investigating the use of the image of China’s Long March. In recent years he has created photographic installations, ‘dazzling landscapes’ which combine the random beliefs and strange energy that permeate Taiwanese folklore, expressing a falsity and superficiality specific; a ‘cold reality’ which are specific to Taiwan. Representative works include the series of works Celestial Barbarians (2000), Savage Paradise (2000) and Heaven (2001).His essays have been published in many specialist publications. He has also published a book "Installation Art in Taiwan since 1991-2001" (2002)," The New Wave of Contemporary Taiwan Photography Since 1999"(2003),"Roam The Ruins of Taiwan"(2004)and "Performance Art in Taiwan 1978~2004"(2005).Yao Jui-Chung is an artist, critic and curator.
Education & Experiences
Yao Jui-Chung was born in Taipei. He Graduated from The National Institute of Art with a degree in Art Theory. In 1997, He represented Taiwan in ‘Facing Faces–Taiwan’ at the Venice Biennale. also participated in numerous other large international exhibitions. He has exhibited abroad many times and locations include Venice, Beijing, Seoul, New York, Hong Kong, Victoria, Vancouver, Fukuoka, Paris, London, Wellington, and throughout Australia. He has also worked in the fields of theatre, film, photography, art history, and art criticism. He won the Golden Horse Award for best artistic director for his work on Edward Yang 1994 film A Confucian Confusion. In 1997 he attended the Headland Center for the Arts, San Francisco, and in 2001 he was artist in residence at Gasworks Studio, London. He is a member of the famous Taiwanese art group ‘IT Park’ and also of ‘Abnormal Temple’.
Concept
‘Art, no matter whether a reflection of social reality or a vehicle for one to escape from second nature, is inevitably charged with ‘politics’. In this connection, art failing to criticize ‘the political’ will then become political propaganda.’
Owner
2006, "Barbarians Celestine", Hanart T Z Gallery, Hong Kong
2001, "The Would is For all-China beyond China", Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Taiwan
2000, "Savage Paradise", National Museum of Taiwan, Taichung, Taiwan
1998, "Military take over", MOMA Contemporary, Fukuoka, Japan
1998, "Recovering Mainland China-Action", Taipei Fine Art Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
Solo Exhibitions
2006, "Everything will Fall into Ruins", Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taiwan
2005, "The Cynic", Taipei MOMA(Chi-Wen Gallery), Taiwan
2004, "Long March-Shifted The Universe", IT Park, Taipei, Taiwan
2003, "Elysium", Aspex Gallery, Portsmouth, U.K.
2002, "Libido of Death" Lee Ka-Sing Photo Gallery, Toronto
2000, "Barbarians Celestine", Taiwan International Visual Art Center, Taipei, Taiwan
1998, "Beyond the Physical State", Taipei Photo Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
1996, "History Maneuver Sequence-Recover Mainland China", IT Park, Taipei, Taiwan
1994, "Territory Maneuver", IT Park, Taipei, Taiwan
Group Exhibitions
2006, "Microcosm ─ Chinese Contemporary Art ", Macao Fine Arts Museum, Macao
2006, "The 15th JAALA Biennia", Kyoto Fine Arts Museum, Japan
2006, "Islanded: Contemporary Art from New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan", ADAM Art Gallery, Wellington, New Zealand
2006, "Seeing the Paradise ", Beijing Chinese Arts Museum – Shanghei Library
2006, "Macro vision – micro analysis - multiple reflections ─ Contemporary Art Exhibition in Taiwan", National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
2006, "Seeing The Paradise. –Twenty Taiwanese Photographer", Beijing Chinese Arts Museum, China
2006, "Taipei/ Taipei : Views and Points", Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
2005, "International Triennale of Contemporary Art YOKOHAMA 2005:Art Circus-Jumping from the Ordinary" , YOKOHAMA, Japan
2005, "Two-Europe and Two-Asia - International Contemporary Art Exhibition ", Shanghai Duolun Contemporary Art Museum, China
2005, "The named contemporary - La Biennale di Venezia - Taiwan", Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
2005, "Shanghai Cool", Duolun MOMA, Shanghai, China
2005, "Kuandu Hero Journal , Taiwan Modern Arts Exhibition" Kuandu Museum, Taipei National University of the Arts, Taipei, Taiwan
2004, "Step Beyond Reality-Taiwan Contemporary Photography", Hanart T Z Gallery, Hong Kong
2004, "Ruins And Civilization", Eslite Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan
2004, "The Era of Contention:Contemporary Taiwanese Visual Culture", Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, U.S.A
2004, "Reality Spells – Exhibition of Chinese Conceptual Photography from 90'", Central Library, Hong Kong
2003, "Bologna International Art Fair", Bologna, Italy
2003, "The New Photography of Asia", Photology Gallery, Mailand, Italy
2003, "2003 Asia City-net-Transition of Identity", Seoul Museum of Art, Korea
2003, "Taiwan Art-Film", Lothringer 13, Germany
2003, "A Strange Heaven – Contemporary Chinese Photography", Rudolfinum Museum, Prague, Czech Republic
2002, "The Gravity of The Immaterial:Contemporary Art from Taiwan", Total Museum, Seoul
2002, "Dream 2002", OXO Gallery, London
2002, "International Photo Festival ", Henan, Korea
2002, "Toronto International Art Fair ", Canada
2002, "The Long March Project-A Walking Visual Display", China
2002, "The Realm of Illusion-The New wave of Taiwan Photography ", Main-Trend Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan
2001, "The Gravity of The Immaterial", MOCA, Taipei, Taiwan
2001, "From Iconoclasm to New-Iconolatry", Eslite gallery, Taipei; Taipei culture center, New York
2001, "From Iconoclasm to Neo-Iconolatry ", Eslite Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
2001, "From Far Formosa", Brace Watling Gallery, Cold Coast, Australia
2001, "Asia Sanpo", Art Tower Mito, Japan
200-01, "Very fun park-contemporary art from Taiwan", Hong Kong art center, Perth Institute of contemporary art, Australia
2000, "Abnormal Temple Group Show", Taipei Fine Arts Museum,Taipei, Taiwan
2000, "Close up-contemporary art from Taiwan", Charies H.Scott gallery, Vancouver; Victoria, Canada
1998, "Face to Face-Contemporary Art form Taiwan", Gold Coast City Art Gallery, Orange, Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Wellington
1998, "Contemporary Taiwanese Art Exhibition-The New Identity", Artium, Fukuoka, Japan
1998, "You Talk/I Listen", Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan; La ferme du Buisson center d’art contemporain, Paris
1998, "Taiwan New Photography", O.P Gallery, Hong Kong
Dean Chan, "Starfish Bread, Ha py Corners and One Golden Dinosaur", Australia : Art Monthly Australia , NO.141, 2001.07, p.21-23
Fumio Nanjo, "The Identity of Taiwanese Art", Contemporary Taiwanese Art Exhibition-The New Identity ,MOMA Contemporary, Fukuoka, 1998.12, p.4-6
Greg Bellerby, "Spheres of Influence- Close-up: Contemporary Art from Taiwan, Close-up Contemporary Art from TAIWAN ,Vancouver, Charles H, Scott Gallery, 2000.08
Hill gates, "TAIWAN Contemporary Art-Inclusiveness Through Individuation?", Close-up Contemporary Art from TAIWAN , Vancouver, Charles H., Scott Gallery, 2000.08
Hsu Manry, "When History is Beside it Self-On Yao Jui-Chung’s Recent Works", Yao Jui-Chung Solo Exhibition , MOMA Contemporary,Fukuoka, 1998.08
Mio Iwakiri, "Three Travels Looking For Identity -The Last Chapter", The World is For All-China Beyond China , MOMA Contemporary , Fukuoka, 2000.09, p1-3
Shih J-J, "Images of Hong Kong, Made in Taiwan", Australia : Art Asia Pacific , p.54-61
Sophie Mclntyre, "Made in TAIWAN", Australia : Art Asia Pacific , p.82-86
Sophie Mclntyre, "FACE TO FACE-Contemporary Art From Taiwan", FACE TO FACE-Contemporary Art From Taiwan , Gold Coast City Art Gallery, 1999.09, p.12-16
Sophie Mclntyre, "A Different Reality", Australia : Art Asia Pacific , 2001/10&11, p.30-32.
Susan Kendzulak, "History on his head-Yao Jui-chung’s Hat Trick : a Book and Two New Shows", Taipei : Pots No.297, 2004.02.20-02.29, p.4
Thomas Heberer, "Chinas Lang andauernde Reform", Kommune , 2003.02, p.58-64
森美根子 "亞細亞散步展", Japan : 台北週報 第2023號, 2001.11.01, p.10-11
Yao Jui-Chung "Bloody Extra- Generation", Dragon Art, No.80, 1996.09, p.51-53
Andrew Lam, "A Liberation Travel on Time & Place : Photogeaphic Exhibition by Yao Jui-Chung", Museum of Site, Hong Kong, 2000.03, p.1-2
Ventine Tsai & Sean Chen, "Taiwanese Artist Make Waves in Venice", Taipei : Sinorama magazine, 1997.10, p.114-123
Dora Han, "A Young Artist- Yao Jui-Chung", Taipei : Interior Magazine, 1997.08, p.144-145
Amy Cheng, "On The Road-Ten Years of Yao Jui-chung’s Art", Taipei : Modern Art Bimonthly, No.109, 2003.08, p.40-49
Amy Cheng, "The Would is for all, Please kill me : Reading Yao Jui-Chung’s Works ’The Would is for all’", Taipei : Pots Weekly, 1999.12.10-12.19, p.3
Amy Cheng, "Seeing the Power from the Gold : Yao Jui-Chung and his Works", Tainan : Artop Magazine, No.10, 2001.04, p.91-95
Sun Li-Chung, "Reading Yao Jui-Chung’s Work ‘Recovering Mainland China’", Taipei : Hsen-Chi Magazine, 1997.08, p.128-129
Hu Yung-Fen, "Completely Theory Structure- Yao Jui-Chung", Taipei : Art & Collection Contents, 1997.08, p.194-197
Chang Pai-Reng, "The Drifting Portrait of an Artist as a young Man", Taipei : Art Innovators in Taiwan, 1999.03, p.72-77
Lee Wei-Jing, "Creating is to Reflect the Mood : Yao Jui-Chung", Taipei : Artist Magazine, 1999.11, p.449-457
J.J. Shin, "Recovering Mainland China : Deconstructing the Two Warring Blocs through One Soldier’s Performance", Taipei : ’Art criticism in Taiwan, 1997-1998’, Dimension Endowment of Art, 1999, p.123-125
Shieh Jin-Rong, "Following the ‘Territory Maneuver Series’, Yao Jui-Chung Decide to ‘Recover Mainland China’", Taipei : New News Journal, 1996.07.28-08.03, p.58-59
Victoria Lu, "Beyond The Canvas, Beyond The Existence : Yao Jui-Chung’s Art Thoughts", Taipei : People, 1994.03, p.154-155
Chiang Ju-Hai, "Criticize of Anti-Criticize : Analyze Yao Jui-Chung’s ‘Territory Maneuver Sequence Series-Territory Take-over’", Taipei : Hsiung-Shin Art Monthly, No.278, 1994.04, p.76-83