Yue Minjun, a contemporary artist born in Daqing, China in 1962, will be my artist of choice for my exhibition project. Through painting and sculptures, Minjun has instituted an inventive and unique style for self-portraiture work. Specifically, he is best known for his oil portraits that depict his own laughing figure in different iconic moments in history.

In his work, Minjun expresses beliefs about the historical and present day political and social system in China. One historical period that had a distinctive influence on his work was the restrictive regime in China during the 1980s, when Deng Xaoping ruled. This ultimately led to the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, which resulted in thousands of innocent people being murdered by the government (the painting below portrays this event). This massacre ignited the Cynical Realism movement beginning in the 1990s. Minjun had a lasting impact on the Cynical Realism movement in China (although he rejects this acknowledgment). The Cynical Realism movement is a contemporary art movement that emerged in Beijing, promoting individual expression with less limitations. This movement emphasized the utilization of “political pop,” or as others refer to it, “pop art.” The political pop that developed during this movement often challenges the political and social system in the country that developed after the Cultural Revolution.

Yue Minjun (b. 1962)

Execution, 1995

Oil on canvas, 59 x 118 in.

Image source: Forbes.com

Work cited

“Cynical Realism (1990s).” Cynical Realism: Chinese Contemporary Art. Accessed April 8, 2020. http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/history-of-art/cynical-realism.htm.

“Yue Minjun.” artnet. Accessed April 8, 2020. http://www.artnet.com/artists/yue-minjun/.