China's most famous contemporary artist, Yue Minjun's signature self-portraits are famous for laughing irony and cynicism on to the canvas. In 2007, Time added Yue to their list of "People Who Mattered", an honor reflecting the sale of Execution, which set records as the most expensive Chinese contemporary artwork when it sold for 5.9 million USD. Critics consider Yue to be at the forefront of the Chinese "cynical realism" movement, a label he rejects. The trademark sardonic grins that prevail throughout most of Yue's boldly colored work are social commentary on the emptiness in today's world, creating images that are as stunning as they are unnerving.