Gods and monsters that inhabit ephemeral, fictitious or utopian realms are featured in Yao Jui Chung's photographic installations. The artist examines the human plight and explores our need to immerse ourselves in a world of illusion in order to escape the helplessness of real life.
Yao Jui Chung
Gods and monsters that inhabit ephemeral, fictitious or utopian realms are
featured in Yao Jui Chung's photographic installations. The artist examines the
human plight and explores our need to immerse ourselves in a world of illusion
in order to escape the helplessness of real life.
Recent works included in Elysium are drawn from a collection of photographs
taken all over Taiwan. These dazzling landscapes, can be seen as a modern
version of the magnificent traditional landscape painting styles. They feature
dinosaurs, animals, statues and imagery from ancient myths, while gold-leaf is
used to symbolize religion and authority. The hand-dyed surface of the works
give the photographs an ancient quality as if they are 'documents of the unnamed
disaster that the world has experienced'. In combining the random beliefs and
strange energy that permeate Taiwanese folklore Yao Jui Chung seeks to express a
'cold reality' specific to Taiwan.
Yao Jui Chung is a Taiwanese artist, critic and curator with an international
reputation. He represented Taiwan at the Venice Biennale in 1997 and has
exhibited extensively in Asia, Australia, Europe and North America.
This exhibition has been organised in association with The Red Mansion
Foundation (http://www.redmansionfoundation.org)
Saturday 28 June, 2pm
Gallery Talk
Yao Jui Chung will discuss his work and the exhibition Elysium
Supported by Gallery Go. Admission FREE
Thursday 17 July, 7.30pm
Gallery Talk
Debbie Coates of The Red Mansion Foundation will talk about Yao Jui Chung's work
in the context of contemporary Taiwanese & Chinese art.
Admission FREE
Hours: Tuesday - Friday, 12-6pm
Saturday, 12-4pm
Aspex Visual Arts Trust/Gallery
27 Brougham Road
Portsmouth
England, UK
PO5 4PA
T/F: (+44) 023 9281 2121