The 14 statues of laughing men that greet visitors to Vancouver’s English Bay Beach remind us that laughter is good medicine. The famous exhibit takes up a large portion of real estate at the intersection of Denman and Davie Streets, and it is a delightful addition to the city.
Yue Minjun, a Beijing-based artist, made the sculptures “in his own image” and called the collection “A-Maze-in Laughter.” Each one is cast-bronze and double in human size. They hold four or five poses that show irrepressible laughter. 
Maybe I am just easily influenced toward laughter, but I actually laughed out loud when I came upon the exhibit. Lots of people feel the same way, I think, because there are always visitors getting their photo taken with the laughing men.
The statues were unveiled in September, 2009 as part of the bi-annual public art exhibition during the 2010 Olympics. They were on loan, but became a permanent fixture thanks to a $1.5 million donation by Lululemon founder Chip Wilson.
I hope these photos give you reason to chuckle today. If not, maybe you need to take a drive to Vancouver and see the real thing. It’s time to tickle that funny bone!
All photos by Elizabeth Griffin