Ai Weiwei Quotes

Contemporary artist

Browse famous quotes by Ai Weiwei.

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All People China Thinking Art Ifs Chinese Kind World Humans Conditions Government Stills Way Artist Culture Knows Expression Years Cities Different

Famous Ai Weiwei Quotes

“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.”

Humans Passion Individual Imagination Creative Rights Impossible Independent Human Rights Tyranny Pretence Individual Freedom

Author:Ai Weiwei

“Stupidity can win for a moment, but it can never really succeed because the nature of humans is to seek freedom. Rulers can delay that freedom, but they cannot stop it.”

Humans Moments Winning Succeed Stupidity Rulers Delay

Author:Ai Weiwei

“Everyone wants an iPhone, but it would be impossible to design an iPhone in China because it's not a product; it's an understanding of human nature.”

Want Humans Would Be Understanding Impossible Human Nature Design Products China Iphone

Author:Ai Weiwei

“When human beings are scared and feel everything is exposed to the government, we will censor ourselves from free thinking. That's dangerous for human development.”

Thinking Feels Humans Government Human Beings Dangerous Development Scared Exposed Human Development Free Thinking

Author:Ai Weiwei

“Technology is a liberation. I think the information age probably is the best thing to happen to the human race in human evolution. Now you have the equal opportunity to equip yourself through information and knowledge and express yourself as an independent mind.”

“If artists cannot speak up for human dignity or rights, then who else will do it?”

Ifs Humans Artist Speak Rights Dignity Human Dignity

Author:Ai Weiwei

“The biggest obstacle in interacting with China is the difference in perspectives about basic values. These include issues such as human rights, the concept of law and constitution.”

Humans Law Values Differences Issues Rights Perspective Concepts Constitution Human Rights Obstacles China Interacting Biggest Obstacles

Author:Ai Weiwei

“All the rich people collect traditional Chinese art. So it's very natural for Chinese families to still see art as the highest human performance and send their children to this field.”

People Humans Children Art Stills Natural Rich Fields Highest Performances Traditional Chinese Rich People Chinese Art

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.”

Thinking Giving Humans Individual Human Beings Poor Successful Conditions Unsuccessful

Author:Ai Weiwei

“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.”

Humans Past Desire Nations Fields Illusion Labor Productions China Exporting Cheap Labor

Author:Ai Weiwei

“If human rights are supposed to have any meaning, then they have to be discussed openly.”

Ifs Humans Rights Human Rights

Author:Ai Weiwei

“No state or society can claim to have established human rights once and for all.”

Humans States Rights Claims Human Rights

Author:Ai Weiwei

“China is at a different stage of development, human rights are violated here much more often. And still, we see improvements even here.”

Humans Stills Different Rights Stage Development Human Rights China Improvement Stages Of Development

Author:Ai Weiwei

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

Humans Understanding Responsibility Rights Expression Citizens Human Rights Individuality Freedom Of Expression Basic Human Rights Rights And Responsibilities

Author:Ai Weiwei

“For all the tough talk about China during the presidential debates, Romney and Obama evaded any mention of China's suspect human rights record, corruption, and rule of law. By not tackling these controversial topics, the candidates are protecting a strategic partnership with China at the expense of essential human values and beliefs.”

“Creativity is part of human nature. It can only be untaught.”

Humans Creativity Human Nature

Author:Ai Weiwei

“If there is no freedom of expression, then the beauty of life is lost. Participation in a society is not an artistic choice, it’s a human need.”

Ifs Needs Humans Life Is Choices Lost Expression Artistic Participation Freedom Of Expression Beauty Of Life Human Needs

Author:Ai Weiwei

“Behind every political deal in this country, the first casualties are always the ordinary people, who are barely treated as human.”

People Firsts Humans Country Political Deals Behinds Ordinary Treated Ordinary People Casualties

Author:Ai Weiwei

“I think art is a very important weapon to achieve human freedom”

Thinking Humans Art Important Achieve Weapons Art Is Human Freedom

Author:Ai Weiwei

“As a human being, member of society, you must clearly state your mind. It's a responsibility. It is the way you identify yourself otherwise you don't know who you are and why you are here.”

Knows Way Mind Humans States Human Beings Responsibility Members Who You Are Being Me

Author:Ai Weiwei

About the Author

Born: August 28, 1957
Known for: Contemporary artist
Quotes: 341

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