Contemporary art giant Yue Minjun launches into Web3 with his first NFT collection on LiveArt

August 8, 2023 

LiveArt, in partnership with iv gallery, is thrilled to announce a groundbreaking NFT collection, Kingdom of the Laughing Man, by Yue Minjun, one of the world’s most prominent blue-chip contemporary artists working today. Kingdom of the Laughing Man launches with Boundless, a series of 1,200 unique generative NFT artworks echoing Yue Minjun’s iconic self-portraits. The first drop is set to launch on August 8, 2023, 5 AM PDT presale / 5 AM PDT sale on LiveArt and is expected to sell out, according to insiders. 

A pioneer of China’s Cynical Realism movement, Yue Minjun’s fantastical, maniacal self-portraits satirize contemporary society and art historical tropes. Each piece in Boundless sees the artist reinterpreting his signature self-portrait work through the prism of trends within technology, appropriating the crypto-centric PFP (Profile Picture) to create a unique Web3-based series for digital art collectors. 

"I've explored numerous media with my art over the years. This new digital frontier excites me the most as I can bring my art to life in a way that I haven't been able to with physical media. In Web3 I can create a new engaging experience and relationship with the next generations of art collectors shaping the art world of the future," – Yue Minjun. 

"Yue Minjun exemplifies the caliber of artists who call LiveArt home in this new digital world. I think he is probably the most significant contemporary artist to commit fully to a Web3 journey today, and we are honored and excited for the historic opportunity we can offer our collectors," – Boris Pevzner, CEO and Co-Founder of LiveArt. 

Yue Minjun (Chinese: 岳敏君; born 1962) is one of the most important Chinese contemporary artists working today, with pieces selling for millions of dollars at auction houses worldwide (USD 6.9 million sales record at Christie's HK) and artworks in the permanent collections of the SFMoma, Denver Art Museum, The Culture Centre of Francois Mitterrand, Busan Museum of Art, Guangdong Museum of Art, Shenzhen Art Museum and other leading institutions.

Collaborations with artists including KAWS and fashion brands like Comme De Garcons have cemented Minjun's signature style in global pop culture.

About LiveArt

Established by a team of art market insiders and tech innovators, LiveArt is a leading global art platform that blends innovative technology with intimate knowledge of the art market to put collectors and artists in control. LiveArt provides collectors unmatched access to proprietary art pricing data and market insights so they can buy and sell artworks with confidence, discretion, and efficiency. The AI-powered data platform is the preeminent destination for art market data and analysis, live auction streaming, real-time and historic pricing information, detailed analysis of artist and market trends, and financial and cultural context. LiveArt Trading Floor is a digital peer-to-peer marketplace that provides ultimate discretion, allowing users to determine how much information about their identity and works of art is disclosed.  

About iv gallery

iv gallery represents a small stable of emerging artists, focusing on shows that bring to light and/or challenge our views on social issues. iv gallery is actively involved in providing platforms for artists in temporary exhibits and fairs worldwide, as well as exposure via their home location in Los Angeles, CA.

In early 2020 iv gallery developed a digital/NFT program working with the likes of Beeple, WhIsBe, Boss Logic, Skygolpe, Billelis, and many more to create a commercial career path for native digital artists in the Web3 world.

Press contact: 

Alexandra Fanning | alex@alexandrafanning.com | (347) 468-0735