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A-maze-ing Laughter was designed by Yue Minjun and installed in Morton Park along the English Bay in West End, Vancouver in 2009. The patinated bronze sculpture portrays the artist's own image "in a state of hysterical laughter". It was created as part of the Vancouver International Sculpture Biennale, which exhibits international contemporary works in public spaces. The sculpture was donated to the City of Vancouver by Chip and Shannon Wilson through the Wilson Foundation on August 11, 2012
Laughing Men Statues in English Bay Park created by sculptor Yue Minjun for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. 14 statues in a circle are shown in various poses of laughter and smiles and are about 8 feet tall. (Best seen large)
A-maze-ing Laughter was designed by Yue Minjun and installed at English Bay in Vancouver. The bronze sculpture, composed of 14 statues each about three metres tall and weighing over 250 kilograms, portrays the artist's own image "in a state of hysterical laughter".
Film photograph taken with Leica M6 on Ilford FP4+ film
This is my grandson Anthony, who just turned 12 and who (like my other grandkids) loves a physical challenge. These sculptures, by the way, are ten feet tall. A video of him on a trapeze can be seen here:
In posting this video I do not mean to condone this use of the "Amazing Laughter" sculptures, by Yue Min Jun. However, I have seen and photographed (and posted elsewhere in this site) the daily occurrence of adults straddling or standing upon these sculptures (e.g. flic.kr/p/kgsxvW or flic.kr/p/afd7L2, etc.), which were generously donated to the City of Vancouver by Chip and Shannon Wilson (flic.kr/p/cCZ3GA). I was also present when they were installed for the Vancouver Biennale and witnessed the lengths to which the workers went to make the artworks secure, strong, and stable (flic.kr/p/79cA9Q and flic.kr/p/723gPS).
So no, DON'T try this yourself! Mainly, I'm just a proud grandpa...
English Bay, Vancouver, Canada
Fun and very powerful 8' tall bronze sculptures...they got me smiling!
Yue Minjun uses his own iconic face in a state of hysterical laughter as a signature trademark. Recognized universally as a sign of happiness, the smile raises questions of intent and interpretation. One of the most influential contemporary artists in China, Yue Minjun represents the new wave of Chinese artistic freedom. A-maze-ing Laughter marks Yue Minjun's Canadian debut.
“A-maze-ing Laughter”
consists of 14 enormous bronze statues –
in all different poses –
of a shirtless guy
laughing hysterically.
The sculpture, by
Chinese artist 岳敏君 Yue Minjun,
was originally priced
at a whopping $5 million.
Yue later slashed that to a relatively modest $1.5 million,
which the Biennale Foundation has now
a Patron- Lululemons founder.
In short – the city did not spend $1.5 million; it was donated and only after Vancouverites were consulted and stated they wanted it to stay.
So all of this leads to the objections and comments that have emerged around the acquisition of A-maze-ing Laughter, below are a few of what I gather are the main points – both negative and positive. These have been gathered both through conversation – in person and online – and from comments left on The Globe and Mail and Vancouver Sun articles.
The Negatives
The sculpture detracts from the view
The money should have been spent on social services or donated to a hospital
The artist made too much money on the sale
The donation was self-serving
The piece is ugly, the faces grotesque and figures intimidating
It doesn’t make me laugh
The Positives
It encourages engagement with viewers
It helps draw tourists and business to the area
Any addition to public art in Vancouver is welcomed
It is a great sculpture by a relevant artist and will be enjoyed for generations to come
Donations and gifts such as this help fill the gap in arts funding
It makes people laugh and smile
I’ll refrain from giving you a long explanation of why I’m happy to see Yue Minjun’s piece stay where it is as I’m much more interested to hear your thoughts on the matter. It isn’t too often that art sparks a debate in Vancouver and, whether I agree with all the voices or not, I’m please to see that Vancouverites are talking about art.
Barrie Mowatt of the Vancouver Biennale and Chip and Shannon Wilson, founders of Lulu-lemon. The Wilsons were the generous benefactors whose contribution allowed "A-maze-ing Laughter," by Yue Minjun (see images below), to stay in Vancouver and continue to be enjoyed by all. A celebration will be held at the site on Saturday, August 11th.
You either love it or you hate it, but one thing is clear—it is impossible to not notice Chinese artist 岳敏君 Yue Minjun’s works, which depict men frozen in laughters.
The large sculpture in the foreground is part of a series titled “The Tao of Laughter,” which was previously on view in Hong Kong at Harbour City in 2012. They were inspired by Chinese traditional philosophical text 道德經 Tao Te Ching [1] written by 老子 Laozi, which supports the power of laughter as a path to inner peace.
Yue is commonly associated with the “Cynical Realism” by art critics. The painting in the background can be seen earlier in the stream [2].
岳敏君 YUE Minjun (b. 1962 China)
The Tao of Laughter No. 4, 2012
Stainless Steel
# Yue Minjun
Yue Minjun (Chinese: 岳敏君; born 1962) is a contemporary Chinese artist based in Beijing, China. He is best known for oil paintings depicting himself in various settings, frozen in laughter. He has also reproduced this signature image in sculpture, watercolour and prints.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yue_Minjun
# Galerie Daniel Templon
Founded in 1966
30, rue Beaubourg
75003 Paris
France
# Notes
1. The Tao Te Ching, Daodejing, or Dao De Jing (道德經: 道 dào "way"; 德 dé "virtue"; 經 jīng "classic" or "text") also simply referred to as the 老子 Laozi, is a Chinese classic text. According to tradition, it was written around the 6th century BC by the sage Laozi (or Lao Tzu, "Old Master"), a record-keeper at the Zhou Dynasty court, by whose name the text is known in China.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tao_Te_Ching
2. “Painting by 岳敏君 Yue Minjun: 自由的天空 Free Sky No. 1, 2012 (Oil on canvas)” / Galerie Daniel Templon / Art Basel Hong Kong 2013 / SML.20130523.6D.14035: www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/8923407982/
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-05-23T16:56:21+0800
+ Dimensions: 3588 x 5383
+ Exposure: 1/40 sec at f/8.0
+ Focal Length: 17 mm
+ ISO: 1250
+ Camera: Canon EOS 6D
+ Lens: Canon EF 17-40 f/4L USM
+ GPS: 22°16'59" N 114°10'22" E
+ Location: 香港會議展覽中心 Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC)
+ Workflow: Lightroom 4
+ Serial: SML.20130523.6D.14053
+ Series: 新聞攝影 Photojournalism, SML Fine Art, Art Basel Hong Kong 2013
# Media Licensing
Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Universe Limited
“Sculpture by 岳敏君 YUE Minjun (b. 1962 China): The Tao of Laughter No. 4, 2012 (Stainless Steel)” / Galerie Daniel Templon / Art Basel Hong Kong 2013 / SML.20130523.6D.14053
/ #ABHK #Photojournalism #CreativeCommons #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLFineArt #Crazyisgood #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #Art #FineArt #ArtBasel #岳敏君 #YueMinjun #WTF #LOL #GalerieDanielTemplon #sculpture #laughter
Laughter is a moment when our mind refuses to reason. When we are puzzled by certain things, our mind simply doesn’t want to struggle, or perhaps we don’t know how to think, therefore we just want to forget it.
岳敏君
Den Haag Sculptuur 2011
Yue Minjun (1962) giant man
Op het Lange Voorhout is een gratis openluchttentoonstelling met spectaculaire, grootformaat sculpturen, onder meer van Sui Jianguo (de rode dinosaurus), Yue Minjun (Giant Man) en Zhang Huan (Copper Leg). In de Kloosterkerk exposeert Wenda Gu. Verder is op het Lange Voorhout recent werk te bewonderen van onder anderen Liu Jianhua, Wang Jin, Cang Xin, Liu Wei, Yin Xiuzhen, Jiao Xingtao en Hu Xiangching. In de benedenzalen van Pulchri Studio geven Nederlandse kunstenaars hun visie op China.
Info
Artist : Yue Minjun - China
Location : Morton Park (Triangle), Vancouver
Media : Patinated bronze
In A-maze-ing Laughter Beijing-based artist Yue Minjun depicts his own iconic laughing image, with gaping grins and closed eyes in a state of hysterical laughter. These laughing figures are the signature trademark of the artist. They are not a conventional self-portrait, as they tell us little about the person portrayed or of the reason they are laughing so hysterically. The longer you look at these cast bronze figures, the more the contradiction of the silent, frozen form of sculpture begins to intrude. We see, but do not hear the laughter. The contorted poses of the figure suggest animation and a cartoon form of an anonymous person. The laughter appears to be convulsive, intense, and manic, but also insincere and forced. The scale is "un-naturally" large -exaggerated and excessive like the laughter.
Yue Minjun was a leading figure in what became to be known in the 1990's as Cynical Realism, an artistic movement that emerged in China after the 1989 student demonstrations in Tiananmen and the suppression of artistic expression. Humor, cynicism, repetition and an emphasis on the individual are common characteristics of this artistic movement. Yue Minjun was one of the first artists to translate this new ironic view of contemporary life, one that is expressed in the nihilistic hilarity at a time when little was funny.
For more information visit www.yueminjun.com
These wonderful bronze sculptures are in a park in West end of Vancouver.
"A-maze-ing Laughter was designed by Yue Minjun and installed in Morton Park along the English Bay in West End, Vancouver in 2009. The patinated bronze sculpture portrays the artist's own image "in a state of hysterical laughter".
Enjoy your week and thanks for your visits:)
Yue Minjun. Contemporary Terracotta Warrior. Acrylic on Fiberglass Reinforced Plastics. 182x70x78cm x 25c. 2000.
At the SFMoMA exhibition: Half-Life of a Dream: Contemporary Chinese Art from the Logan Collection. (July 10 - October 5)
25 Apr 2013
Chinese artist Yue Minjin's A-maze-ing Laughter is one of 44 Vancouver 2009-2011 Biennale public art installations. This installation marked Minjin's North American public art debut.
In Morton Triangle Park , Vancouver BC
“A-Maze-in Laughter” sculpted in his own image by Beijing-based artist Yue Minjun in various poses of hysterical laughter.
You may not know this sculpture by name, but chances are you’ve seen it. A-maze-ing Laughter consists of 14 enormous bronze statues – in all different poses – of a shirtless guy laughing hysterically.
© Luxgnos Photography / Brian Callahan 2011 All rights reserved.
Chinese Contemporary Warriors - an instasllation at the Milwaukee Art Museum by world-renowned contemporary artist Yue Minjun
First installed in 2009 as part of the Vancouver Biennale, A-maze-ing Laughter has quickly become the city’s most recognizable piece of outdoor art . (The Biennale is a non-profit group that brings world-class sculpture to Vancouver every two years).
Amazing Laughter
Bronze Sculpture Series
English Bay, Vancouver, BC
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25 Apr 2013
In 2012 the owner of lululemon athletic (Chip Wilson) purchased the bronze sculptures to be a permanent installation in Morton Park for the enjoyment of Vancouver citizens and visitors. Thanks Chip. It is a lovely addition to the Vancouver public art scene!
Amazing Laughter
Bronze Sculpture Series
English Bay, Vancouver, BC
Thank you very much for viewing my work.
Please Like me on FaceBook
Please also check out my ETSY and Redbubble pages:
www.redbubble.com/people/mspixvancouver/shop, and
For information on purchasing printed images, or for image licensing information please contact me at sales@mspix.ca
Den Haag onder de Hemel, 2011
roestvrij staal
stainless steel
In 1962 geboren in Daqing in de provincie Heilongjiang, China
Studeerde aan de afdeling schilderkunst van de Hebei Normal University
Woont en werkt in Beijing
Yue Minjun is een van de sleutelfiguren van de Chinese avant-garde, met name als schilder binnen de beweging van het cynisch realisme die voortkwam uit de ontgoocheling van de neergeslagen demonstraties in 1989. Flexible Latitude (2010) is een enorme figuur van Yue Minjun in de houding van de klassieke koutou. Daarbij knielt en buigt men zo diep dat het hoofd de grond raakt, het hoogste teken van respect en onderwerping voor oudere familieleden, superieuren of de keizer. Hier worden we geconfronteerd met een fysieke reus, maar wel in een kruiperige en slaafse houding, schijnbaar een voorstelling van hoe men zichzelf voor gek kan zetten.
Born 1962 in Daqing, Heilongjiang Province, China
Studied in the Oil Painting Department of Hebei Normal University
Lives and works in Beijing
Yue Minjun is one of the key figures of the Chinese avant-garde, foremost as a painter of the Cynical Realism movement, which emerged out of the disillusionment after the crushed demonstrations of 1989. Flexible Latitude (2010) is a huge Yue Minjun figure in the posture of the classical kowtow: kneeling and bowing so low that one’s head touches the ground, the highest sign of reverence and submission, may it be for one’s elderly ancestors, superiors or the emperor. Here we are confronted with a physical giant, but yet he is shown in a pose of lackeying and bootlicking, seemingly an image of making a fool of oneself.
Yue Minjun (1962) giant man
Op het Lange Voorhout is een gratis openluchttentoonstelling met spectaculaire, grootformaat sculpturen, onder meer van Sui Jianguo (de rode dinosaurus), Yue Minjun (Giant Man) en Zhang Huan (Copper Leg). In de Kloosterkerk exposeert Wenda Gu. Verder is op het Lange Voorhout recent werk te bewonderen van onder anderen Liu Jianhua, Wang Jin, Cang Xin, Liu Wei, Yin Xiuzhen, Jiao Xingtao en Hu Xiangching. In de benedenzalen van Pulchri Studio geven Nederlandse kunstenaars hun visie op China.
Amazing Laughter
Bronze Sculpture Series
English Bay, Vancouver, BC
Thank you very much for viewing my work.
Please Like me on FaceBook
Please also check out my ETSY and Redbubble pages:
www.redbubble.com/people/mspixvancouver/shop, and
For information on purchasing printed images, or for image licensing information please contact me at sales@mspix.ca