"A-maze-ing Laughter" Sculpture Donation

“A-maze-ing Laughter” by Yue Minjun, the most beloved sculpture of the 2009-2011 Vancouver Biennale exhibition, is being gifted to the people of Vancouver thanks to a generous donation by Chip and Shannon Wilson.

The Wilson family has donated $1.5 million dollars USD to the Vancouver Biennale Open Air Museum, a local non-profit arts organization, for the purpose of gifting A-maze-ing Laughter to the City of Vancouver. The sculpture, by the internationally renowned Contemporary artist Yue Minjun of China, was brought to the city as part of the Vancouver Biennale 2009-2011 temporary exhibition, captivating throngs of visitors and inspiring endless playful interaction ever since. It has quickly become an iconic cultural beacon in the city, now here for generations of residents and visitors to enjoy in perpetuity. We invite the entire city to A Day of Laughter in celebration of this donation on Saturday August 11, 2012. Details to follow.

“I want to acknowledge the generosity of the Wilson family and also applaud them for recognizing the incredible impact that great public art can have on a community and the role it plays in creating the most livable city in the world”, says Barrie Mowatt, President of the Vancouver Biennale.  “We also thank our curatorial team, notably Zheng Shengtian, one of the most respected curators in the Western world of Chinese contemporary art, who helped the Vancouver Biennale bring A-maze-ing Laughter to the city and continues to help us reach the highest caliber of artists throughout Asia”.

"We wanted to give something to the city that everyone could enjoy”, says Chip Wilson. “On any given day, English Bay is full of joggers, cyclists, rollerbladers and people enjoying one of the most beautiful sea walls in the world. To mix that with a work of art that brings out the playful nature in people and gets them laughing is really something special". 

“I'd like to extend my most sincere gratitude to Vancouver Biennale and Wilson family, who helped me realize my dream to have my work, A-maze-ing Laughter, become a legacy public art work in Vancouver”, says artist Yue Minjun. “I appreciate your respect and passion for art. My intention when making this series of sculptures was to use art to touch the heart of each visitor and to have them enjoy what art brings to them. I feel honored and happy to have my work displayed in Vancouver. I seem to have seen your smiling faces in my heart”.

“The Vancouver Park Board is grateful for the generous donation of A-maze-ing Laughter, a great work of public art that has captured the playful spirit of our city”, says Sarah Blyth, Vancouver Park Board Chair. “The sculpture will remain at Morton Park, one of the most beautiful and visited locations in the city, for people to continue to experience fun and laughter through this wonderful infusion of art in our public parks”.

About the Vancouver Biennale

The Vancouver Biennale Open Air Museum is an outdoor exhibition of contemporary art, new media and performance works by some of the world’s most renowned and breakthrough artists of our time, freely accessible for people of all ages to enjoy where they live, work, play and transit. The objective is to use great art to encourage exploration, inspire learning and provoke the imagination of all who experience it. The Biennale is distinguished by its international cultural perspective and the global citizenship that it fosters.
For more information visit www.vancouverbiennale.com.
Text the word “ART” to 45678 to donate $5 towards the next exhibition in 2013.

Media Contact

Miriam Blume

Miriam@vancouverbiennale.com

604-682-1289