“If I walk on the street, if I go to a restaurant, people come to me and say: "Can we take a photo together? Can you give me your autograph?" They would bring their expensive Armani or Prada wallet to sign. Other people who are desperate show me a photo of their dead daughter and ask: Can you support me? I tell them: How can I? Morally, of course, I sympathize with you. But I cannot support you and you cannot support me. This is the condition of this society. We are separated.” PeopleIfsGivingShowsTogetherCoursesAsksWalksSupportStreetsConditionsDaughterGive MeRestaurantsDesperateExpensiveShow MeAutographsThis SocietyWalletsSupport YouSupport MePradaArmani Author:Ai Weiwei
“Our lives are bound by physical limits, familial ties, political conditions, and geographical restrictions. Individual freedom takes us beyond them all.” PoliticalIndividualOur LivesConditionsLimitsBoundsTiesRestrictionIndividual Freedom Author:Ai Weiwei
“By participating in the society we live in, we understand our conditions and the way we relate to the world.” WorldWayConditionsRelateParticipating Author:Ai Weiwei
“If there's the right condition, I always want to express the concept or ideas in a very independent way.” IfsWayWantIdeasConditionsConceptsIndependent Author:Ai Weiwei
“I don't think my father had a direct influence on me, but I do think, more or less, I was influenced by his independent individualism. And the kind of condition he had when he was in this society - the kind of mistreatment society gave him.” ThinkingKindFatherInfluenceConditionsDirectIndependentIndividualismThis SocietyMistreatment Author:Ai Weiwei
“When I first got into the first-year study after the Cultural Revolution, got into the same school with this group, I wasn't conscious of the so-called "Fifth Generation." I didn't like that kind of study condition because there's no real, true education there.” YearsFirstsKindRealSchoolStudyGenerationsGroupsConditionsRevolutionConsciousFifthTrue EducationReal True Author:Ai Weiwei
“People have a tendency to become elite rather than to care about the general conditions of the society, which makes me sick. It's an unbearable condition.” PeopleCareConditionsSickTendenciesElitesUnbearable Author:Ai Weiwei
“Today, the general masses in this society are in this political-social condition that really encourages people to become rich and become a star and be unique.” PeopleTodayPoliticalSocialStarsRichConditionsMassUniqueThis SocietyBecome RichSocial Conditions Author:Ai Weiwei
“For those actors and directors who produce films which are always about the old kingdom or about heroes, you know about the fantasies related to the classics, but there is no real discussion about today's life and no discussion of the real conditions - which is really sickening. They've become part of a conspiracy, collaborators of the crime, which is lying to the general public and trying to hide the kind of criminal acts happening in many cases.” KnowsTryingKindRealTodayFilmLyingActorsCasesFantasyConditionsCrimeProduceHeroDirectorsHappeningsCriminalsKingdomsDiscussionRelatedConspiracyCollaboratorsGeneral Public Author:Ai Weiwei
“I think you can give meaning to any condition; you can be poor or unsuccessful or be so-called successful. But I don't think that it would give an individual human being a better condition.” ThinkingGivingHumansIndividualHuman BeingsPoorSuccessfulConditionsUnsuccessful Author:Ai Weiwei
“To call yourself a Chinese artist or woman artist or African artist reflects a certain kind of condition. To me, that is not necessary.” KindArtistCertainConditionsChineseWoman Artist Author:Ai Weiwei
“Growing up, my family was an enemy of the state. I have experienced more disappointment than joy, much more sad stories or desperate conditions.” StatesStoriesJoyEnemyGrowing UpGrowingConditionsMy FamilyDisappointmentDesperateSad Story Author:Ai Weiwei
“It's always the rich and there's plenty to waste, yet still China has a lot of people living in very spare, poor conditions.” PeopleStillsPoorRichConditionsWasteChinaPlentySpares Author:Ai Weiwei
“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.” ThinkingKindMayShowsMillionsFiveConditionsHundredPoundsBowlsPearlsNecklaces Author:Ai Weiwei
“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.” ArtValuesFightingConditionsPossibilityExpressionProtectEssentialsFreedom Of Expression Author:Ai Weiwei
“Art is always about overcoming obstacles between the inner condition and the skill for expression.” ArtConditionsExpressionSkillsArt IsOvercomingObstacles Author:Ai Weiwei
“I think art certainly is the vehicle for us to develop any new ideas, to be creative, to extend our imagination, to change the current conditions.” ThinkingArtIdeasImaginationCreativeConditionsCurrentsVehicleNew IdeasBe Creative Author:Ai Weiwei
“Cities really are mental conditions. Beijing is a nightmare. A constant nightmare.” CitiesConditionsConstantNightmareBeijing Author:Ai Weiwei
“Life is never guaranteed to be safe, so we better use it while we are still in good condition.” StillsUseLife IsConditionsSafe Author:Ai Weiwei
