Ai Weiwei Quotes

Everyone of us is a potential convict.

6 years ago

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Censorship is saying: "I'm the one who says the last sentence. Whatever you say, the conclusion is mine." But the internet is like a tree that is growing. The people will always have the last word – even if someone has a very weak, quiet voice. Such power will collapse because of a whisper.

6 years ago

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Expressing oneself is like a drug. I'm so addicted to it.

6 years ago

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I think Donald Trump should cool down a little bit. To pay more attention to the history. To really understand what U.S.'s value is about. I think, as a president, those things you always have to ask.

6 years ago

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Through my work and ways of expression, I strive to engage in dialogue with the society that I am living in.

6 years ago

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Warhol came from an ordinary family and he had a profound understanding about capitalism and material culture. He was probably one of the few Western artists - or artists from the United States - that could be considered a true product of his time and brought out that kind of spirit of the culture.

6 years ago

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No matter what happens, nothing can prevent the historical process by which society demands freedom and democracy.

6 years ago

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New York was not a romantic city at [80th]. Nobody knows who you are and you don't have to care about anybody else. It's a very cold city, I should say.

6 years ago

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To give a price to an artwork, no matter how high or low, is always absurd. It's not something that can be measured by money or by certain numbers.

6 years ago

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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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I don't think China has professional museums - not in the past, present, or near future.

6 years ago

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We move so fast that memory is something we can only grasp

6 years ago

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To call yourself a Chinese artist or woman artist or African artist reflects a certain kind of condition. To me, that is not necessary.

6 years ago

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China didn't want to lose the cutting edge of technology. So the idea of having a Sina Weibo was an attempt to compete with Twitter. However, it has no soul - which is freedom of expression. Nevertheless, I think the government regrets having Sina Weibo, but they cannot shut it down. That would definitely be suicidal.

6 years ago

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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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The relationship between the Chinese government and me is like a Cold War.

6 years ago

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In a society that restricts individual freedoms and violates human rights, anything that calls itself creative or independent is a pretence. It is impossible for a totalitarian society to create anything with passion and imagination.

6 years ago

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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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The motivation is really to say people can find the game of getting involved interesting and find the problem and really have the passion and the enthusiasm to solve it and move forward, but that's all I know.

6 years ago

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Historically, China is not a nation of sportsmen. We traditionally put more emphasis on being close to nature than pushing endlessly to excel. A philosophy that values tranquil contemplation of the landscape cannot easily be adapted to the Olympic slogan of 'higher, stronger, faster.'

6 years ago

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