Ai Weiwei Quotes, Ties Quotes, Political Quotes

Our lives are bound by physical limits, familial ties, political conditions, and geographical restrictions. Individual freedom takes us beyond them all.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Ties Quotes , Political Quotes

The fantasy we had with pearls was always so luxurious and unique with a kind of rareness.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Unique Quotes , Pearls Quotes

If I look at it, I would laugh. I don't know how I became successful.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Successful Quotes , Laughing Quotes

I believe [the architecture firm] Herzog and de Meuron and our collaboration made the product the best it could be.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Believe Quotes , Collaboration Quotes

Maybe being powerful means to be fragile.

6 years ago

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You're still being looked at as somebody who - it's a very complicated issue.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Issues Quotes , Complicated 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

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.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Art Quotes , Wall Quotes

[Museums] all belongs to the cultural department, which is the biggest cultural department in the world.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Museums Quotes , World Quotes

Everyone thinks the Chinese government selected me. Never ever. I was selected by Herzog and de Meuron.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Thinking Quotes , Government Quotes

If there's the right condition, I always want to express the concept or ideas in a very independent way.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Independent Quotes , Ideas Quotes

Freedom of expression is a very essential condition for me to make any art. Also, it is an essential value for my life. I have to protect this right and also to fight for the possibility.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Art Quotes , Fighting Quotes

There's no single artwork I even want to mention or that I can even really think about it to have any feeling, to be proud of it.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Thinking Quotes , Feelings Quotes

If we all say the same thing, then I think the government has to listen. But because no one is saying it, I become singled out, even though what I'm saying is common sense. It's very essential values that we all have to protect. But in Chinese society, people are giving up on protecting these values.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Giving Up Quotes , Thinking 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

The idea to use backpacks came from my visit to Sichuan after the earthquake in May 2008. During the earthquake many schools collapsed. Thousands of young students lost their lives, and you could see bags and study material everywhere. Then you realize individual life, media, and the lives of the students are serving very different purposes. The lives of the students disappeared within the state propaganda, and very soon everybody will forget everything.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , School Quotes , Media Quotes

The people who control culture in China have no culture.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , People Quotes , Culture 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

The deadly weapon against totalitarian society is openness - doing everything very openly on the Internet, letting people know every detail, any little development. Once it is out there, everybody can make their own judgement. [Therefore] holding a trial outside the court. I think that is fairness, that is justice, that is a civil society. Otherwise call it an evil society because everything is hidden.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Thinking Quotes , People Quotes

Mass production is nothing new. Weren't cathedrals built through mass production? The pyramids?... Paintings can be painted with the left hand, the right hand, someone else's hand, or many people's hands. The scale of production is irrelevant to its content.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Hands Quotes , Pyramids Quotes