Yue Minjun

The Trademarked Smile

Yue Minjun (named a Time Person of the Year 2007) is arguably China’s most famous artist. Yue paints himself with a happy face in a variety of incongruent situations, such as Tiananmen Square 1989. For his western customers, Yue is a dissident who expresses his dissent via sarcastic conformity. By "fooling" China's rulers, Yue can protest without being taken away and shot. 

As Yue’s fame and fortune have risen, his paintings have taken on a whole new reading. When asked why he paints himself in apparent ecstasy in situations of grave concern, he simply says that everyone should be happy. His customers can’t take him literally, which perhaps further adds to his appeal. Yue seems aware of the appeal of ambiguity and contradiction, and quite wisely plays his role. Time Magazine wrote of an encounter with him:

 "What's wrong with laughing?" Yue demands with a serious face, digging into a Shanghai eatery's rendition of braised pork shoulder, a quivering delicacy synonymous with nouveau riche fulfillment. "China isn't all dark anymore. We should be happy."

The message is further complicated by Yue's personal story. Born to a coal miner, he has found fame and fortune. He still lives in China and indulges in the luxuries that China's opening up has brought. This begs the questions, does he believe that China is heading in a positive direction or a negative one? If positive, then where does his art fit into into China's direction? Is he really giving an opinion at all, or is he just integrating different aspects of China to ask questions?

Yue's success reveals the important ingredients for artistic fame. Firstly, the smiling face makes each painting recognisable. Whereas artists like Damien Hirst found their recognisability by being criticised, Yue did it with an mage that could be remembered easily like a trademark. Secondly, Yue's work deals with a social context that is accessible to the audience. Specifically, by anchoring his work in China’s political machinations, an audience has something to discuss as they look at his work.

Yue Minjun Execution (1989)