Yue Minjun

Yue Minjun is one of those rare artists who is able to make a lasting impression on a generation. Based in Beijing, this contemporary artist is best known or his signature self portraits, depicting himself laughing in an exaggerated and contorted form. Laughter is an expression of happiness, a candid moment. Yue turns laughter into a statement about modern day society, from a more realistic and cynical perspective. He is inspired by Geng Jianyi’s own self portrait and incorporates aspects of pop art. Theorist Li Xianting describes Yue’s work as “a self-ironic response to the spiritual vacuum and folly of modern-day China.”

岳敏君是极少数能够为整整一代人带来持续的影响力的艺术家之一。这位北京的艺术家最为人所熟知的就是他的标志性的自画像，用夸张和扭曲的造型来描绘他自己的笑容。笑容是表达幸福和坦白的表情，然而岳敏君从更加现实和愤世嫉俗的层面，将笑容变成了对于现代社会的宣判。他的作品从耿建翌的自画像中汲取了灵感，并融合了嘻哈艺术。艺术理论家栗宪庭评价其作品为：“对于现代中国的灵性缺失和愚蠢的自嘲式回应”。