Fang Lijun is known to be one of the main forerunners of the early 1990's movement known as Cynical Realism. Like the rest of his  generation Fang Lijun grew up during the Cultural Revolution, witnessed its subsequent demise, and faced disillusionment when the mass movement to introduce democracy in China ended violently at Tiananmen Square. Fang Lijun redefined the new artistic tendencies of contemporary Chinese art in the 1990's. The tragic events which gave birth to Cynical Realism represent a drawback in the Arts community self confidence drive to tackle serious issues in a critical eye. Fang Lijun's bald man with his ambiguous expression and dreamlike background of unlimited space and freedom became a symbol of the subtle mockery that one can detect in the works of the Cynical Realism artists.  Whereas in Fang's earlier work faces were almost expressionless, his exploration of sculpture has given him the opportunity to develop much greater tactility and emotional expression.