Yue Minjun
Yue Minjun is a contemporary Chinese artist celebrated for his unique approach to self-portraiture, often associated with the Cynical Realism movement in China. His iconic, brightly colored paintings of laughing, exaggerated figures are deeply influenced by both Pop Art and Surrealism, serving as subtle critiques of social and political issues. Through these works, Minjun explores themes related to Chinese history and engages with the broader Western art tradition.
Born in 1962 in Daqing City, China, Minjun studied painting, sculpture, and printmaking at Hebei Normal University during the 1980s. Witnessing the political repression that culminated in the Tiananmen Square massacre, he began using art as a way to process and reflect on the sweeping changes in Chinese society.
In 2008, Minjun collaborated with KAWS to create a series of figurines that fused their distinctive visual styles. His work is featured in major collections, including those of the Denver Art Museum, Shenzhen Art Museum, and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
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