Things that make me cry- Yue Minjun

As I get older, I find myself crying at pretty much anything that's remotely touching. That includes everything from limping dogs, grannies collecting cardboard on the streets, the cheesiest TV shows, and some very good movies.

And to sum up why I will be talking a lot about things that make me cry- Sometimes you need to be sad to be happy. I know it sounds very pretentious and over-analytical, but this is the truth. The truth is, beauty is the source of sadness for many things. A painting, a song, a story, a a relationship; sadness is beautiful. This is what the dormant romantic in me thinks.

Things that make me cry:

So, what's making me weep today? This incredible painting.

Between Men and Animal, Yue Minjun, 2005

I think anyone who slightly keep their eyes open to the arts will recognize the fascinating works of Yue Minjun. His paintings and sculptures have been analyzed to death and are pretty much the most notable representations of the incredible success enjoyed by contemporary Chinese artists today.

Why it makes me cry:

Well, first of all, it's pretty awesome! The use of contrasting shades and the cheery smiles certainly has a strong, compelling affect on the psyche. But the 'I can't catch my breath or keep my eyes open' laughs are also what make this painting a bit sad for me. When you repeat something many, many times, it begins to loose its meaning. I think that's what the artist is trying to express here- sometimes we lie to ourselves to a point that maybe we start to really believe in it, but by then, whatever you were striving to achieve with that lie looses its meaning.

And the stripped identities and blurred individuality of the people in the painting; It's how I feel sometimes too. You spend your whole life thinking you're going to be something great one day. On your way there, you conform and redefine yourself to fit the model of success. And then one day, it hits you- you've lost sight of everything you believe in and is just another faceless soul in the crowd. Pretty sad, huh?