Ai Weiwei Quotes, Art Quotes, Pain Quotes

If my art has nothing to do with people's pain and sorrow, what is 'art' for?

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Art Quotes , Pain Quotes

In a society like this there is no negotiation, no discussion, except to tell you that power can crush you any time they want — not only you, your whole family and all people like you.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Crush Quotes , People Quotes

Somehow, we [ Tan Dun and director Chen Kaige] were all privileged at the time; we could be outside of China. But at the moment, we had no sense of what the future was going to be like.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Directors Quotes , Moments Quotes

I also have to speak out for people around me who are afraid, who think it is not worth it or who have totally given up hope. So I want to set an example: you can do it and this is OK, to speak out.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Thinking Quotes , Speaks Out Quotes

My mother became much older when I came out (ed's note: of detention). She had problems with her hearing and high blood pressure. But they still support me.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Mother Quotes , Blood Quotes

I think the pearls - one is a necklace, and another you have five hundred pounds of pearls, which may be one million pearls in a bowl - really show a kind of [society] condition.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Thinking Quotes , Necklaces Quotes

I think everybody deserves freedom. Freedom is such an abstract word, but it's all we need.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Art Quotes , Thinking Quotes

China hasn't only existed for one day. Now, the whole nation has become richer and it's become a problem. The problem is universal. The factor is big. Everybody has to rethink the balance of the world and the whole landscape.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Balance Quotes , One Day Quotes

Growing up, my family was an enemy of the state. I have experienced more disappointment than joy, much more sad stories or desperate conditions.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Growing Up Quotes , Disappointment Quotes

That's why I always question this sense. The feeling of home really requires a lot of trust. It requires you to identify with it, which I always find myself very contradictory to.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Home Quotes , Feelings Quotes

I don’t want the next generation to fight the same fight as I did.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Fighting Quotes , Generations Quotes

Whenever there is injustice, there is tension. But in China it is very hard to release your anger unless you burn yourself or you jump from a bridge. In a society where there is no freedom of the press, it is difficult for victims to be noticed.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Bridges Quotes , Injustice Quotes

No state or society can claim to have established human rights once and for all.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Rights Quotes , States Quotes

I have to respect my life, and free expression is part of my life. I can never really silence myself.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Expression Quotes , Silence Quotes

Just look at the statistics: Each university has tens of thousands of applications for students who want to be in art school, but they can only accept a few hundred.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Art Quotes , School Quotes

I never think any place is better than others.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes

I think China is laughing about the results of the presidential elections. China, Russia, they all laugh about it. They see how dramatic U.S. has to be put this kind of shame on its own - cannot handle the situation. Or show such a difficulty with this liberal ideas. Men or women created equal. And to defend those very essential ideas.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Men Quotes , Thinking Quotes

Even if there have been setbacks during these past years, China is changing. China's society is opening.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Past Quotes , Years Quotes

China seems unpredictable because it has a distinct culture and social system. It is still a mystery to other parts of the world, even though the veil of China has been lifted many times as a result of globalization.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Veils Quotes , World Quotes

During the days in detention, I thought most about the moon.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Moon Quotes