- DATE : 06/11/2025 06/11/2025
- TIME : 17:15–18:15
- VENUE : Hunter Lecture Theatre, 74 Lauriston Place
2025 Spotlight Taiwan Lecture
Hospice Care of the Post-Republican 《姚瑞中：後民國的臨終關懷》
Artist Jui-Chung YAO
Confronted with the inferiority complex shaped by Taiwan’s unique history and distorted society, ordinary people—me included, an indignant middle-aged man—are left powerless. This led to the creation of projects such as Territory Take Over (1994), which delves into Taiwan’s subjectivity; Recover “Main-Land” China (1997), which challenges the political myths of modern Chinese history; and The World is for All, China Beyond China (1997–2000), which explores postcolonialism, along with an additional chapter to this trilogy, Long March: The Shifted Universe (2002–2004). In 2007, three video works—Phantom of History, March-Past, and Floating Mt. Jude—employed humor to subvert past authoritarian regimes. Later, Long Live! (2011) and Long, Long Live! (2013) offered reflections on Taiwan’s White Terror and martial law during the Cold War. In 2020, I created the fictional Republic of Cynic, where cynics and demons take center stage. Using the parasitic host of the Republic of China as a conceptual framework, the project explores emerging national identities and the shifting dynamics of the new Cold War. Through self-directed black comedy, it satirises the absurdities of the modern state system, suggesting that all struggles—whether between life and death or power and destruction—cast an inescapable shadow over our cynical society. No one can remain untouched; the absurd imprint of history burdens both body and mind.
In this era of terrorism versus imperialism, few dare to confront the truth, while many prefer to remain ignorant of the pain it might bring. Instead, they willingly embrace deception, choosing cynicism—perhaps a form of quiet, mundane happiness for the ordinary masses.
About the Speaker
Jui-Chung YAO was born in 1969. Lives and works in Taipei. Graduated from The Taipei National University of the Arts with a degree in Art Theory. His work has been widely exhibited in numerous international exhibitions. In 1997, he represented Taiwan at the Venice Biennale. He has taken part in the International Triennale of Contemporary Art Yokohama (2005), APT6 (2009), Shanghai Biennale (2012), Beijing Photo Biennale (2013), Shenzhen Sculpture Biennale, Venice Architecture Biennale, Media City Seoul Biennale, Asia Triennial Manchester (2014), Asia Biennale (2015), Sydney Biennale (2016), Shanghai Biennale (2018), 14th Curitiba International Biennial of Contemporary Art (2019), XIII Krasnoyarsk Museum Biennale (2019), Taipei biennial (2020), Jakarta Biennale(2021), Mediations Biennale Polska(2022), Macao Biennale(2023). Yao was the winner of The Multitude Art Prize (Hong Kong) in 2013 and 2014 Asia Pacific Art Prize (Singapore). In 2018 he was the recipient of Taishin Arts Award (Taiwan). He has also been widely involved in the fields of theatre and films.
Yao specialises in photography, installation and painting. The themes of his works are varied, but most importantly they all examine the absurdity of the human condition. Representative works include Action Series. We can find the clue as he explores the question of Taiwan’s identity in Military Takeover (1994), subverts modern Chinese political myths in Recovering Mainland China (1997), and examines post-colonialism in The World is for All (1997-2000) as well as Long March-Shifting the Universe (2002). In recent years, he has created photo installations combining the style of ‘gold and green landscape’ with the superstitions that permeate Taiwanese folklore, expressing a false and alienated ‘cold reality’ that is specific to Taiwan. Representative works include the series of Celestial Barbarians (2000), Savage Paradise (2000) and Heaven (2001). Another photo installation series Libido of Death (2002), and Hill (2003), tries to probe into the eternal issue of body and soul. Recently, Yao Jui-Chung has assembled all the black-and-white photos of ruins that he had taken in the past fifteen years, grouped under the themes of industry, religious idols, architecture and military bases. They reveal the enormous ideological black hole in Taiwan hidden behind the trends of globalisation and Taiwan’s specific historical background as a continuation of the main theme of his work: the absurdity of the historical destiny of humanity. Since 2007, Yao has been creating a series of works including Wonderful (2007), Dust in the Wind (2008~2010), Dreamy (2008~2010), Romance (2009) and Honeymoon (2010-2011). He appropriates masterpieces from Chinese art history and recreates them in his way, transforming them into his personal history or as real stories, in an attempt to turn grand narratives into the trivial affairs of his individual life. Yao intends to usurp so-called orthodoxy with his recreated landscapes. In 2010, Yao grouped his students into a team in the photography workshop called ‘Lost Society Document’(LSD). He encouraged them to photograph and survey their hometowns. Through this method of field survey, they attempted to outline ‘mosquito houses’ which have been widely criticised, they published three books entitled Mirage: Disused Public Property in Taiwan and practiced the possibility of observing society by examining the meaning of art to the present time.
Apart from creating art, Yao Jui-Chung has curated exhibitions including The Realm of Illusion-The New Wave of Taiwan Photography (2002), King-Kon Never Die -The Contemporary Performance & Video art in Taiwan (2003) and Spellbound Aura-The New Vision of Chinese Photography (2004). His essays have been published in many art journals. He has also published several books, including Installation Art in Taiwan since 1991-2001 (2002), The New Wave of Contemporary Taiwan Photography Since 1999 (2003), Roam The Ruins of Taiwan (2004), Performance Art in Taiwan 1978-2004 (2005), A Walk in the Contemporary Art: Roaming the Rebellious Streets (2005), Ruined Islands (2007), Yao Jui-Chung (2008), Beyond humanity (2008), Nebulous light (2009), and Biennial-Hop (2010), Mirage: Disused Public Property in Taiwan Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ, Ⅳ, V, Ⅵ, VII(2010~2019), Incarnation (2017), PHOTO-LOGES Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ, Ⅳ, V, Ⅵ (2018~2024), Republic of Cynic (2021), Hell Plus (2021) and Muddy Buddha(2022). His works have been collected by the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan; the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan; Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, Australia; Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art Collection, Cornell University, USA; Bibliothèque National de France, Paris, France (French National Library, Paris); Art Museum of Seoul, and many other private collectors. Yao Jui-Chung now works as an artist and Part-time Professor at the National Taiwan Normal University Department of Fine Arts.
Jui-Chung YAO: www.yaojuichung.com
《姚瑞中：後民國的臨終關懷》
面對台灣特殊歷史背景與變態社會造成的自卑情結，市井小民或我這種歲數的憤叔已無能為力，乃發展出探討台灣主體性問題的《本土佔領行動》(1994)、顛覆中國近代史政治神話的《反攻大陸行動》(1997)，以及探討後殖民主義的《天下為公行動》(1997~2000)與「行動三部曲外一章」的《萬里長征行動之乾坤大挪移》(2002)。2007年發表的《歷史幽魂》、《分列式》及《玉山飄浮》三件錄像，則以幽默手法對過往威權統治進行顛覆。2011年及2013年的《萬歲》與《萬萬歲》則針對冷戰時期的台灣白色恐怖與軍事戒嚴進行反思。2020年創建虛構的「犬儒共和國」設定犬儒與魔鬼共同擔任主角，以寄生宿主中華民國為概念，探討國族新認同與新冷戰趨勢，自演自導對現代國家體制造成的諸多荒謬以黑色喜劇諷之。暗示萬物鬥爭就如同電影或遊戲般，無論是生與死、權力與毀滅，都構成了我們所處犬儒社會一個揮之不去的陰影，旦我們都無法置身其外，逃避不了歷史加諸於身體與心靈的荒誕烙印。在這個恐怖主義對抗帝國主義的時代，乏人戳破真相，或不願知曉真相可能帶來的痛苦；倒是甘願被騙、寧成犬儒，也不失為某種平淡人生、市井小民的幸福吧！
姚瑞中 (YAO Jui-chung)
1969年生於台灣台北，1994年國立台北藝術大學美術系畢業，曾代表台灣參加1997年威尼斯雙年展、2005年橫濱三年展、2009年亞太三年展、2012年上海雙年展、2013年北京攝影雙年展、「集群藝術獎」得主，2014年深圳國際雕塑雙年展、威尼斯建築雙年展、首爾國際媒體藝術雙年展、英國曼徹斯特亞洲藝術三年展、新加坡「亞太藝術獎公眾獎」得主，北藝大傑出校友，2015年亞洲雙年展、2016年雪梨雙年展，2018年「台新獎」得主並再次受邀於上海雙年展展出，2019年巴西庫里提巴雙年展與俄羅斯克拉斯諾亞爾斯克雙年展，文馨獎得主，2020年台北雙年展與2021年雅加達雙年展，2022年波蘭中介雙年展，2023年澳門雙年展。1992至1997年曾擔任「天打那實驗體」團長、1994年楊德昌電影「獨立時代」美術指導。
專長為攝影、裝置及繪畫，作品涉獵層面廣泛，代表作品包括探討台灣主體性問題的《本土佔領行動》(1994)、顛覆中國近代史政治神話的《反攻大陸行動》(1997)，以及探討後殖民主義的《天下為公行動》(1997~2000)與「行動三部曲外一章」的《萬里長征行動之乾坤大挪移》(2002)，2007年發表的《歷史幽魂》、《分列式》及《玉山飄浮》三件錄像，則以幽默手法對過往威權統治進行顛覆，2011及2013年的《萬歲》與《萬萬歲》則針對冷戰時期的台灣白色恐怖與軍事戒嚴進行反思。除此之外也透過攝影裝置手法，以「金碧山水」風格結合台灣民間充斥的怪力亂神現象，呈現台灣特有的一種虛假、疏離的「冷現實」，代表作品為《獸身供養》(2000)、《野蠻聖境》(2000)及《天堂變》(2001)系列；而另以銀箔結合攝影裝置的系列《死之慾》(2002)、《地獄頌》(2003)，則試圖探討肉體與靈魂間的永恆議題。自2005年起整理過去十五年在台灣各處踏查所拍攝的廢墟照片，歸納了工業、神偶、建築及軍事廢墟四大部份，呈現台灣在全球化潮流與特殊歷史背後中，所隱藏著的龐大意識形態黑洞，延續「人類歷史的命運，具有某種無可救藥的荒謬性！」創作主軸。2007年後赴蘇格蘭高地駐村後開始繪製《忘德賦》(2007)、《世外塵》(2008~2012)、《如夢令》(2008~2011)、《恨纏綿》(2009)及《甜蜜蜜》(2010~2012)、《非常廟八怪》(2013)、《腦殘遊記》(2015)、《週休八日》(2016)、《寶寶》(2017)、《乖乖》(2018)、《離垢地》(2019)….，以「借屍還魂」策略改寫並挪用中國美術史經典畫作，再將其轉化成個人生活或真實故事，試圖將宏大史詩文本轉化為私微自傳敘事，以「偽山水」策略對所謂的正統性進行篡位。2010年至2019年帶領三百餘位同學返鄉進行《海市蜃樓Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ、V、Ⅵ、Ⅶ –台灣公共閒置設施》拍攝計劃，以「臨終關壞」概念刺穿社會積習已久的「蚊子館」現象，引起社會高度關注。2016年至2022年以「永劫輪迴」概念完成《巨神連線》系列，探討台灣民間宗教信仰透過巨大神像所展現的「欲力奇觀」。2018年至2021年拍攝宮廟內的人造地獄《地獄空》，試圖捕捉台灣特有的「新變形主義」，呈現「業力的具體化」。2020年創建虛構的「犬儒共和國」，以寄生宿主中華民國為概念，探討國族新認同與新冷戰趨勢。2022年推出《魔地佛》完成「因緣三部曲」。
著有《台灣裝置藝術1991-2001》(2002)、《台灣當代攝影新潮流Since 1999》(2003)、《台灣廢墟迷走》(2004)、《台灣行為藝術檔案1978~2004》(2005)、《流浪在前衛的國度》(2005)、《廢島》(2007)、《姚瑞中》(2008)、《人外人》(2008)、《幽暗微光》(2009)、《逛前衛》(2010，合著)、《恨纏綿》(2010)、《海市蜃樓》(2010，編著)、《甜蜜蜜》(2011)、《海市蜃樓Ⅱ》(2011，編著)、《萬歲山水》(2012)、《萬萬歲》(2013)、《海市蜃樓Ⅲ》(2013，編著)、《小幻影》(2013)、《海市蜃樓Ⅳ》(2014，編著)、《Mirage》(2016，編著) 、《海市蜃樓V》(2016，編著)、《好時光》(2016)、《腦殘遊記》(2016)、《巨神連線》(2017)、《攝影訪談輯一》(2018，主編之一)、《海市蜃樓Ⅵ》(2018，編著) 、《攝影訪談輯二》(2019，主編之一)、《海市蜃樓Ⅶ》(2019，編著)、《禽獸不如：台灣雙年展》(2020)、《犬儒共和國》(2021)、《攝影訪談輯三》(2021，主編)、《地獄空》(2021)、《攝影訪談輯四》(2021，主編)、《攝影訪談輯五》(2022，主編)、《魔地佛》(2022)、《巨神連線補遺》(2023)、《YAO JUI-CHUNG》(2023)、《攝影訪談輯六》(2024，主編之一)、《海市蜃樓VIII》(2025，編著)、《廢墟啟蒙》(2025，編著)…等書。策展經歷包括：「末世漫遊」(1997，三芝非常廟)、「幻影天堂：台灣當代攝影新潮流」(2002，台北大趨勢畫廊)、「酷斃了」(2002，高雄新濱碼頭空間)、「非常不廟之漫畫一代」(2002，台南原型藝術)、「金剛不壞–台灣當代行為藝術錄像展」(2003，高雄豆皮藝文空間)、「出神入畫–華人攝影新視界」(2004，台北當代藝術館)、「台灣行為藝術檔案展」(2005，牯嶺街小劇場)、「好自在：行為錄像接力展」(2005，台北MOMA)、「台北藝術博覽會：超時空連結–台灣當代藝術空間與藝術村網路」(2005，台北世貿二館)、「禽獸不如:台灣雙年展」(2020，國美館)…等。作品曾被台北市立美術館、高雄市立美術館、國立台灣美術館、台中亞洲美術館、關渡美術館、鳳甲美術館、桃園美術館、新北市立美術館、澳洲昆士蘭美術館、美國康乃爾大學美術館、美國舊金山Kadist藝術基金會、法國巴黎歐洲攝影之家、法國國家圖書館、韓國首爾市立美術館、韓國全北道立美術館、澳洲MAMA美術館、麗水攝影博物館以及許多國內外私人單位典藏。曾擔任台北市立美術館、高雄市立美術館與國立台灣美術館典藏委員，以及文化部駐村計劃暨國際交流與藝術單位營運委員、國家藝術基金會董事、台北市文化局及新北市文化局藝文補助、台北獎、高雄獎、南瀛獎、宜蘭獎、基隆美展、桃園美展、台北數位藝術獎、台北公共藝術、台北攝影新人獎、亞洲文化協會台灣獎助計劃、澳門藝術館、金門攝影獎、新北市美展、集保藝術獎、全國美展、藝術銀行、中國信託繪畫獎、總統文化獎…等評審委員。曾兼任並客座於國立台北藝術大學，也曾兼任實踐大學、國立台灣科技大學與國立台北教育大學。目前為國立臺灣師範大學暨國立臺北藝術大學美術系兼任教授。