Rago Auctions

Yue Minjun, born in 1962 in Daqing, China is one of the leading artists in the field of contemporary Chinese art. His unique style is also at the forefront of the “Cynical Realism” art movement that began in China during the mid 1990s. Most of Minjun’s work portrays his own likeness—figures and faces leering, laughing and enjoying life. Although Minjun’s characters are always smiling, they also convey a sense of irony. The repeated use of the artist’s own image in his work is a potent example of a “selfie" taken to the extreme. By replicating his grinning likenesses over and over, Minjun has transformed his own face into a symbol and an icon. Speaking of his series, Minjun explains, “In the beginning, I experimented with the styles of other artists I knew… These artists also became the subjects of my paintings. Initially, it was difficult to determine my own preferences, or to see where my sensibilities would lead me. That changed when I began painting myself. Even then, this was less about me than achieving a form that could express my ideas, but the smile was definitely there. It was an impulsive first step, but I realized it was something I could work with.”