YAO JUI-CHUNG, OPEN LECTURE ON THE MIRAGE PROJECT

展期: 2026-06-25 ~ 2026-06-25
展場: FORT INSTITUTE OF PHOTOGRAPHY FOUNDATION
地址: 6 Szpilmana St., 02-634, Warszawa
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IFF invites you to an open lecture and photography workshop with Yao Jui-Chung, one of the most prominent figures in Taiwan’s contemporary art scene and the creator of a renowned long-term research and artistic project dedicated to Taiwanese architecture and the phenomenon of “mosquito halls.”

“Mosquito halls” (Chinese: 蚊子館) are buildings and facilities funded with public money in Taiwan that, once completed, proved unnecessary, underused, or entirely abandoned. The term refers to the fact that mosquitoes and other insects are often their only “users.” Over time, these structures have become a widely recognized symbol of infrastructure policies driven by prestige, local ambitions, and electoral competition.

When Yao Jui-Chung began teaching at Taiwanese universities in February 2010, he asked his students whether they would prefer to follow a traditional course format, with lectures and classroom instruction, or spend the semester investigating the phenomenon of “mosquito halls.”

More than fifty students chose to undertake a nationwide survey of these structures as their semester project. Over time, the initiative developed into one of Taiwan’s best-known projects combining photography, social research, and a critical examination of public policy. During the past fifteen years, the team has documented 884 cases of mosquito halls, publishing eight books containing more than 5,800 pages and 6,200 photographs, while presenting the project in numerous exhibitions.

During the lecture, Yao will discuss the origins of the project, his methods of documentation, and the ways in which photography can serve as a tool for investigating social reality. Participants are also invited to join a photography workshop that will include fieldwork.