Yue Minjun, with Fang Lijun, is one of the most important Beijing-based artists of the Chinese avant garde. He is part of the key movement of the post-1989 era in Chinese avant garde art - Cynical Realism. Cynical Realism developed in the aftermath of the events of 1989 which included not only the demonstrations at Tiananmen Square but also the closure earlier that year of the China Avant Garde?exhibition at the China National Gallery in Beijing by the authorities. As the 1980s were characterised by great idealism and hope in the artistic community that they would be able to contribute to the regeneration of Chinese culture, the 1990s were characterised by a loss of idealism, a more ironical or personal viewpoint and a greater detachment from any regeneration of society or culture.
Yue Minjun works are instantly recognizable by the characteristic laughing figure, actually the artist himself, depicted in various guises in virtually all his works. The figure has more teeth than one could possibly want, like the expensive smiles of fashion models advertising the latest whitening power of a toothpaste brand. This figure also shares the exaggerated nature of these advertising images. Yue Minjun trademark smile is many things at once. It is hilarious and infectious yet cynical and mocking. It appears superficial, mindless, even ridiculous but is deeply revealing and compelling. There are instant parallels to be drawn with the Social Realist propaganda posters of earlier eras of communism. There are the bright colours, the intense enthusiasm in the expressions of the figures and the implied joy and total fulfilment if one adopts the message of the poster/painting as one own mission.
Yue Minjun was selected by Harald Szeemann for the 1999 Venice Biennale. In May 2000 Chinese Contemporary gave Yue Minjun his first solo exhibition ever.
1962
Born in Daqing, Heilongjiang province
1983
Graduated form Hebei Normal University, oil painting department
1996
Designed "Redstar" watch for the Spring 1996 Collection of Swatch Artists' Collection Watches
Currently living and working in Beijing, China
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2007
Yue Minjun and the Symbolic Smile, Queens Museum of Art, New York, USA
Looking for Art, Beijing Commune, Beijing
2006
The Reproduction of Idols: Yue Minjun, 2004-2006, Hexiang Ning Art Museum, Shenzhen, China
Looking for Terrorists, Beijing Commune, Beijing
2005
Post Auratic Self Portrayal of Yue Minjun, CP Foundation, Jakarta, Indonesia
2004
Yue Minjun: Sculptures & Paintings, Schoeni Art Gallery, Hong Kong
Yue Minjun: Beijing Ironicals, PrŸss & Ochs Gallery, Berlin, Germany
2003
Beijing Ironicals, Alexander Ochs Galleries, Berlin
Yue Minjun, Meile Gallery, Switzerland
2000
Red Ocean, Chinese Contemporary, London
1997
Klaus Littmann Gallery, Basel
Selected Group Exhibitions
2008
Translocalmotion, 7th Shanghai Biennale, Shanghai, China
The revolution continues: New Chinese Art, Saatchi Gallery, London, United Kingdom
Writing on the Wall: Chinese New Realism and Avant-garde in the 80's and 90's, Groninger Museum, Groningen, Netherlands
2007
The Year of the Golden Pig: Contemporary Chinese Art from the Sigg Collection, Lewis Glucksman Gallery, Cork, United Kingdom
Absolute Images II, Arario Gallery, New York, USA
RED HOT - Asian Art Today from the Chaney Family Collection, Houston Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, USA
2006-07
China now - Kunst in Zeiten des Umbruchs, Sammlung Essl - Kunsthaus, Klosterneuburg
2006
Radar: Selections from the Collection of Vicky and Kent Logan, Denver Art Museum
Shu: Reinventing Book in Contemporary Chinese Art, China Institute Gallery, New York, USA
China Now, Sammlung Essl Privatstiftung, Klosterneuburg, Austria
2005-06
Mahjong - Chinesische Gegenwartskunst, Kunstmuseum Bern, Bern
Xianfeng! Chinese avant-garde, Museum Beelden aan Zee, Scheveningen, Netherlands
2005
Figur / Skulptur, Sammlung Essl - Kunsthaus, Klosterneuburg
Beautiful Cynicism, Arario Beijing, China
OCT Contemporary Art Terminal of He Xiangning Art Museum, China
No U-Turn: China Contemporary Art, TNUR Guando Museum of Art, Taiwan, China
2004
Gwangju Biennal, Korea
Twenty-Four Living Artist in China, Alexander Ochs Galleries Berlin, White Space Gallery, Beijing
Stone Face BANG - Chinas first group printing exhibition, Shanghai Duolun Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai
Shanghai 5 Biennale: Techniques of the visible, Shanghai Biennale - Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai
Art & Objects, Kunstler Der Galerie, Alexander Ochs Galleries, Berlin
Contemporary Lithography Group Exhibition, L.A. Gallery Beijing, Beijing
2003
Der Rest Der Welt, Alexander Ochs Galleries, Berlin
2002
Conceptual Images: 2002 Chinese Contemporary Oil Painting, Shenzen Art Museum, Shenzhen
The 1st Guangzhou Triennial - A Decade of Experimental Chinese Art, Guangdong Museum of Ar, Guangzhou
Six Contemporary Chinese Artists, Reykjavik Art Museum at Kjarvalstadir, Reykjavik
Things We Believe, Alexander Ochs Galleries, Berlin
Spring Group Exhibition, Art Beatus, Vancouver, Vancouver, British Columbia
2001
Chinese Mythology, Yidian Gallery, Shanghai
New Works, Courtyard Gallery, Beijing
C'est Moi, C'est Nous, Galerie de France, Paris
Passe - Murailles, Musee de Picardie, Amiens
Millennium Portrait of China, Bremen City Gallery, Bremen
Hot Pot, Kunstnemes Hus, Oslo
New Image: 20 Years of Chinese Contemporary Painting, touring major Chinese art museums
Take Part, Galerie Urs Meile, Lucerne
Group Exhibition, Art Beatus Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
2000
Shanghai Art Fair 2000
Art Cologne
Futuro, Contemporary Art Centre of Macau
Our Chinese Friends, Gallery Urs Meile, Weimar/Germany
Portraits de Chine Contemporaine, Espace Culturel Francois Mitterand, Perigueux, France
The Dutch Gasunie, Groningen, Holland
1999-2001
Transparence-Opacite?, ACAVA, Aosta, Aix-en-Provence, La Villette, Paris, Brussels, Barcelona
1999
d'APERTutto, 48th Venice Biennale, Venice
1998
5000 + 10, Chinese Contemporary (London), Bilbao, Spain
The Grand Tour, Chinese Contemporary, London
It's Me!, Forbidden City-Tai Miao, Beijing
1997-98
8+8-1, Selected Paintings by Fifteen Contemporary Artists, Schoeni Art Gallery, Hong Kong
1996-97
CHINA! Kunstmuseum, Bonn, travelled to Vienna, Berlin, Singapore, Copenhagen and Warsaw
1996
Elevenses - The Avant Garde, Taikoo Palace, Hong Kong
Inaugural Exhibition II, Schoeni Art Gallery, Hong Kong
1995
Images of Women II, Schoeni Art Gallery, Hong Kong
New Trends '95, Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong
The History of Chinese Oil Painting: From Realism to Post-modernism, Galerie Theoremes, Brussels
5+5: Voices from Russia and China, Schoeni Art Gallery, Hong Kong
Visions of China: Contemporary Chinese Painting by Chinese Masters, Pacific City Club, Bangkok
The Magnificent Duo - Recent Works by Yue Minjun and Yang Shaobin, Schoeni Art Gallery, Hong Kong
The Beijing 3: A Three Man Show by Zhang Gong, Yue Minjun and Yang Shaobin, Schoeni Art Gallery, Hong Kong
1994
8+8, Contemporary Russian and Chinese Avant Garde Exhibition, Schoeni Art Gallery, Hong Kong
New Trends '94. Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong
Faces Behind the Bamboo Curtain - Works by Yue Minjun and Yang Shaobin, Schoeni Art Gallery, Hong Kong
Art Asia '94, Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong
1992
Yuanmingyuan Artists Exhibition, Yuanmingyuan, Beijing
1991
Contemporary Modern Art Exhibition, Friendship Hotel, Beijing
1987
'S' Art Exhibition, Hebei Museum, Hebei