Untitled, 1998
Acrylic on paper over pencil
25.1 x 49.5 cm

artist profile

Yue Minjun

born

1962

lives and works

Beijing, China

education

BA, Department of Fine Arts, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China, 1983

about the artist

Legions of Yue Minjun alter egos populate the artist’s compositions, their ironically vigorous laughter making a travesty out of all possible settings, whether sites of historical trauma, interiors of masterpieces culled from classical Western art history, or simply clustering in ludicrous configurations. A candid reaction to the sociological condition of contemporary China, his repeated mockery of homogeneity, excess, and idolization finds parallels in societies all over the world. Beneath Yue’s smile lies a hidden concession to the reality of a generation lost between apathy and helplessness. Yue’s work has been included in every canonical book as well as every notable collection featuring contemporary Chinese art. His paintings have always been highlights at every landmark exhibition contributing to the rise of China in the international art arena. Celebrated in numerous solo exhibitions, the artist has showed at venues such as the Asia Society and the Queens Museum in New York, USA; the Today Art Museum in Beijing, China; and the ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum in Aarhus, Denmark. Many monographs about Yue and his work have been published in Chinese, widely distributing the sensibility of this preponderant of the Cynical Realist movement, which, in turn, has inspired a following among a new generation of young artists. 

  • Selected exhibition history
  • Permanent collections
  • Projects
  • Editions
  • Publications
  • Recent news

Chicago Architecture Museum, USA

Denver Art Museum, USA

Didier Hirsch Collection, USA

Guangdong Museum of Art, GUanghzou, China

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, USA

Shanghai Art Museum, China

Shenyang Dong Yu Museum of Fine Arts, China

Shenzhen Art Museum, China

Sigg Collection, Switzerland

Société Générale Collection, France

Today Art Museum, Beijing, China

Zabludowicz Collection

YUE MINJUN | Cafesjian Center for the Arts

A remarkable group of new sculptures, including Yue Minjun's stainless steel sculpture "Untitled," at the Cafesjian Center for the Arts in Yerevan, Armenia, are recent additions to the Gerard L. Cafesjian Collection. [more]

YUE MINJUN | Vancouver Biennale Open Air Museum

A generous donation from Lululemon founder has made Yue Minjun's "A-maze-ing Laughter" a permanent display in Vancouver's Morton Park. [more]