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Lot Essay
One of the most striking aspects of Yue Minjun's works is the ingenuity with which here configures his satirical self-portrait in new and compelling settings and compositions. Painted in 2005, the laughing faces in Hat Series (Lot 171) have not rue individual character. With their eyes shut and teeth bared, they represent the collective psychological disposition of a generation too jaded to comport to expected norms or behaviors. The absurdity of the hysterical laugh is also what continues to make his works contemporary in a sociopolitical context: the self-portrait has become standardized, making its repetition a direct comment on the extremes and contradictions inherent in China's path to modernization.
Backyard Garden (Lot 172) depicts Yue's signature stylized self-portrait shirtless and bending over on a rocky surface which resembles a traditional Chinese scholar's rock. The title implies that we are catching a glimpse of a private scene of leisure, hidden away from the prying eyes of the public. The juxtaposition of the swimming pool water and the scholar's rock surface throws into question the scale for the scene and confounds the viewer's expectations with co-existing and competing references and visual codes.
Backyard Garden (Lot 172) depicts Yue's signature stylized self-portrait shirtless and bending over on a rocky surface which resembles a traditional Chinese scholar's rock. The title implies that we are catching a glimpse of a private scene of leisure, hidden away from the prying eyes of the public. The juxtaposition of the swimming pool water and the scholar's rock surface throws into question the scale for the scene and confounds the viewer's expectations with co-existing and competing references and visual codes.