Execution

About This Artwork

“Execution” (1995) is one of Yue Minjun’s most iconic works, referencing historical imagery while replacing figures with his signature laughing self-portraits. The painting gained global attention when it was sold at auction in London, marking a key moment for Chinese contemporary art in the global market. Yue Minjun painted Execution in 1995 in a month. He sold the painting to Hong Kong art dealer Manfred Schoeni for $5,000. Trevor Simon, an investment banker, stumbled across the painting in 1996 in the back of a Hong Kong gallery. He convinced Schoeni to sell the piece for HK$250,000 / US$32,200. The painting was then shipped from Hong Kong to London, where Simon stored it in a warehouse. Under the terms, the painting was to remain out of sight for five years in a warehouse. In 2007, Execution became the most expensive work of Chinese contemporary art, selling for £2.9 million / US$5.9 million / €4.2 million at London's Sotheby's.[2] The art piece was billed by Sotheby's as "Among the most historically important paintings of the Chinese avant-garde ever to appear at auction." Simon called Yue a brave man for painting something so politically dangerous. Yue Minjun is associated with Cynical Realism, a movement reflecting irony, disillusionment, and emotional tension in post-1989 China. His repeated laughing figure becomes both a personal symbol and a collective mask.

Artist

Yue Minjun

Location

Sotheby’s London (auction, 2007), London

Date experienced

Saturday, April 4, 2026