Ai Weiwei Quotes, Years Quotes, Opening 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

If a master, a wise and experienced man, wields a great weapon, that's beautiful. He can serve peace with it. But if someone's emotions are imbalanced, even if he has the best equipment, he will still mean danger. Modern technology requires calm. You shouldn't trust anyone with a car who has no knowledge about vehicles or roads.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Beautiful Quotes , Wise Quotes

China's culture and history are closely related to my living environment. This country is my birthplace. It is also where I grew up. Its culture and history shape my relations with family, friends, society, and daily life.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Country Quotes , Culture Quotes

The American experience influenced my understanding of individuality, basic human rights, freedom of expression and the rights and responsibilities of citizens.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Responsibility Quotes , Rights Quotes

Even if I have hundreds of things to do, the disconnected feeling is still there because it is very hard to find a real purpose of life.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Real Quotes , Feelings Quotes

Widespread state control over art and culture has left no room for freedom of expression in the country. For more than 60 years, anyone with a dissenting opinion has been suppressed. Chinese art is merely a product: it avoids any meaningful engagement. There is no larger context. Its only purpose is to charm viewers with its ambiguity.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Meaningful Quotes , Country Quotes

We see the tendency in the world to criticise democracy and sometimes even to say that authoritarian countries like China are more efficient. That is very short-sighted. China looks efficient only because it can sacrifice most people's rights. This is not something the west should be happy about.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Country Quotes , Sacrifice Quotes

China has a rich history that has spanned millennia. It consists of the histories of many nations and regions.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Rich Quotes , China Quotes

My typical day is I wake up and appreciate that I can still wake up.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Appreciate Quotes , Typical Quotes

So-called Chinese art and culture is under control of the Party. They exist to serve the official agenda. I call it fake art and culture.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Art Quotes , Fake Quotes

China and the U.S. are two societies with very different attitudes towards opinion and criticism. In China, I am constantly under surveillance. Even my slightest, most innocuous move can - and often is - censored by Chinese authorities.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Attitude Quotes , Moving Quotes

Maybe being powerful means to be fragile.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Powerful Quotes , Recovery Quotes

At the moment about 350,000 students return to China from abroad each year - 350,000 young and educated people. I know about them because they know me and often ask me in the street if they can take a selfie with me. These folks are creative and ironic, and the government can ultimately not control what is going on in their heads.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Government Quotes , Years 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

What counts in the end is what the government does.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Government Quotes , Doe Quotes

We are living in a popular culture where everything is overexposed.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Culture 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

For artists and intellectuals today, what is most needed is to be clear about social responsibility, because that is what most people automatically give up. Just to protect yourself as an individual is very political. You don't have to march on Tiananmen, but you do have to be clear-minded, to find your own means of expression.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Giving Up Quotes , Mean Quotes

Warhol influenced me because of his writing. If I had never read his writings and interviews, I would never have understood his work.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Writing Quotes , Interviews Quotes

You see so many people doing quite nice and respectful work, but nobody like Warhol. Warhol is outstanding. I think he has a value that is far from fully understood. He's very special for younger generations.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Nice Quotes , Thinking Quotes