Ai Weiwei Quotes, Interesting Quotes, Effort Quotes

Life is much more interesting when you make a little bit of effort.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Interesting Quotes , Effort Quotes

I don't belong to a working system. They only select people if you belong to one so you can be controlled.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , People Quotes , Select Quotes

I remember one little rainy day I went searching for this apartment and I saw so many people standing on a stoop on the corner in the rain. Later I realized, that was drug traffic. They were all buying drugs.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Rain Quotes , People Quotes

I'm doing quite a few things now. In one day, I will go to Kassel, Germany, for a documentary project I've been preparing for half a year. I will bring 1,001 Chinese to participate as my artwork there - any Chinese who is a Chinese passport holder and over eighteen years old could apply through my blog. I'm just bringing them to Kassel to see the art show, and pay their room and board.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Art Quotes , Years Quotes

I think optimism is whether you are still exhilarated by life, whether you are curious, whether you still believe there is possibility.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Believe Quotes , Thinking Quotes

To survive, China had to open up to the West. It could not survive otherwise. This was after many millions have died of hunger in a country that was like North Korea is today. Once we became part of global competition, we had to agree to some rules. It's painful, but we had to. Otherwise there was no way to survive.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Country Quotes , Korea Quotes

A nation like China has become one of the biggest production fields for exporting cheap labor, which also re-questions our history and past, re-questions human desire, and the human illusions of the past.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Past Quotes , Desire Quotes

There are many cases and layers of racist behavior in the US - from police treatment to the issues of education and job opportunities. In America, however, such cases are being discussed publically.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Jobs Quotes , Opportunity Quotes

[Cultural departments] don't care about culture. Maybe they're the furthest from the people who understand culture.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , People Quotes , Culture Quotes

Even though everybody who looked at me would call me a Chinese artist, that's the 1980s. New York in the '80s was not so interesting. I think it's quite narrow-minded. There wasn't much encouragement or opportunities for any artist - not just Chinese artists.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Encouragement Quotes , New York Quotes

For years, I refused to go to any openings, not even my own.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Years Quotes , Opening Quotes

My understanding of Chinese history is limited. So far, I have only scratched its surface; I wish I could find out more.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Understanding Quotes , Chinese Quotes

Any politician who respects China's government should tell it openly what is in his heart. It is disrespectful to keep quiet about such issues - both vis-a-vis the government and the people concerned.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Heart Quotes , Issues Quotes

Artists are the worst [people]. They are selfish, self-centred; they don't care what happens.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Selfish Quotes , Artist Quotes

It became like a symbolic thing, to be “an artist.” After Duchamp, I realized that being an artist is more about a lifestyle and attitude than producing some product.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Attitude Quotes , Artist Quotes

Once you've tasted freedom, it stays in your heart...

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes

Of course, people will call you an old artist or young artist, which is just a character of you. But personally, I don't think my work and my understanding of art is so much related to being Chinese, but the character of that. Maybe it's beyond my own consciousness.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Art Quotes , Character Quotes

My definition of art has always been the same. It is about freedom of expression, a new way of communication. It is never about exhibiting in museums or about hanging it on the wall. Art should live in the heart of the people. Ordinary people should have the same ability to understand art as anybody else. I don’t think art is elite or mysterious. I don’t think anybody can separate art from politics. The intention to separate art from politics is itself a very political intention.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Art Quotes , Wall Quotes

In China, we don't have any contemporary art museums. Until a few years ago, we didn't even have a gallery.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Art Quotes , Years Quotes

The whole Chinese system - not just the political leadership, the military too, the whole power structure, our education system, the whole of society - is suffering from being cut off from the free flow of information. That's why the country can't face up to open competition - unless it resorts to measures like North Korea.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Country Quotes , Military Quotes