Smile and The World Smiles With You
A lot has been said about Yue Minjun’s iconic self portraits throughout the years, his status as one of China’s most outstanding artists and his relation to the Cynical Realist movement.But when you boil down all of it and get to the heart of the man creating the work you’ll find someone searching for answers rather than posing with a cynical outlook. Minjun’s creations are works of escapism that were imagined while he was looking for direction and enlightenment in post-Cultural Revolution China. The result was Minjun’s own frozen laugh atop a contorted body, often repeated several times throughout a piece, and placing them in the midsts of European masterpieces or Chinese revolution posters. This idea leads to discussion, are they smiling? Are they crying? Minjun himself has been quoted as saying that “a smile doesn’t always mean happiness.”What ever the answer, the pertinence of Minjun’s work is undeniable and often leaves the viewer with their mouth’s agape as well, in some form of a smile. Minjun will have a series of lithographs on display at Carmichael Gallery in Culver City, California starting May 26th.
A Smile From One Heart Radiates to All Hearts
Even Babies Know the Language of Smiles
One Smile Elevates Us All
One Smile Will Lead to Another
Smile It’s a Nice Reflection on You
Smiles are the Souls Kisses
Smiles Make the World Go Round
You Are Beautiful When You Smile
