Ai Weiwei Quotes

“I will never leave China, unless I am forced to. Because China is mine. I will not leave something that belongs to me in the hands of people I do not trust.”

PeopleHandsMinesChinaPatriotism

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“Politics is like air and water. And you know if there is bad politics. Everyone is polluted. Everyone is unhealthy. See the people walking on the street: how they act.”

PeopleIfsKnowsPoliticsWaterAirStreetsWalkingUnhealthyAir And WaterBad Politics

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“My work is always a ready-made... cultural, political, or social, and also it could be art - to make people re-look at what we have done, its original position, to create new possibilities.”

PeopleLooksArtMadeDonePoliticalSocialPossibilityPositionReadyOriginalsNew Possibilities

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“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.”

PeopleHandsLeftPaintingMassBuiltProductionsScalesIrrelevantPyramidsCathedralsNothing NewLeft HandMass Production

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“I always want people to be confused, to be shocked or realize something later.”

PeopleWantRealizingConfusedShockShocked

Author:Ai Weiwei

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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.”

PeopleWorldShouldLooksCountrySometimesDemocracyRightsSacrificeWestChinaTendenciesEfficientCriticiseShort SightedAuthoritarian Government

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“China is an old nation with a colourful history. Its booming economy has triggered an appetite and a curiosity around the world for its art and culture, one that continues to grow. I can, however, tell people that it is a show with no actor.”

PeopleWorldArtI CanShowsCultureActorsNationsGrowsEconomyCuriosityChinaAround The WorldAppetiteColourfulArt And Culture

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“China has not established the rule of law and if there is a power above the law there is no social justice. Everybody can be subjected to harm. I'm just a citizen: my life is equal in value to any other. But I'm thankful that when I lost my freedom so many people shared feelings and put such touching effort into helping me.”

PeopleIfsHelpingFeelingsLawLife IsValuesLostSocialJusticeEffortCitizensEqualSocial JusticeChinaHarmTouchingRule Of LawAbove The Law

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“Chinese citizens have never had the right to really express their opinions; in the constitution it says you can, but in the real world it is more dangerous. In the west people think it's a right they're born with. Here it's a right given by the government, and one that's not really practised.”

PeopleThinkingWorldRealGovernmentGivenBornOpinionDangerousCitizensConstitutionWestChineseReal World

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“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

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“Art should live in the heart of the people. Ordinary people should have the same ability to understand art as anybody else. I don't think art is elite or mysterious.”

PeopleThinkingShouldHeartArtAbilityOrdinaryArt IsShould HaveMysteriousElitesOrdinary People

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“China partially wants to become part of the world. By hosting the Olympics and the Expo, they made a big effort to tell people: Look, we are the same. They want to be accepted by the international community.”

PeopleWorldWantLooksMadeBigsCommunityEffortInternationalChinaAcceptedOlympicsInternational Community

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“The IT people who have made such an effort to know and understand computer technology. They are frustrated that you cannot use Facebook, Twitter and YouTube in China. They are the first to recognize that the situation is terrible.”

PeopleKnowsFirstsMadeUseEffortSituationTechnologyTerribleComputerChinaFrustratedYoutubeComputer Technology

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“If a society cannot even support somebody like me, then people ask: Who is under protection then? That's why there is such support for me. It is not because I am so beautiful or I am so charming. People feel: This guy is fighting for us.”

PeopleIfsFeelsBeautifulGuyFightingAsksSupportProtectionLike MeCharmingThis Guy

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“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.”

PeopleThinkingKnowsLittlesEvilJusticeDevelopmentInternetWeaponsCourtDetailsTrialsJudgementOpennessFairnessCivil Society

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“I always thought that in modern history Chinese people are like a dish of sand, never really close together. But I think a dish of sand is a good metaphor because we have the Internet. We don't have to be physically united. You can be an individual and have your own set of values but join others in certain struggles. There is nothing more powerful than that.”

PeopleThinkingTogetherCertainValuesIndividualUnitedPowerfulStruggleModernInternetMetaphorChineseSandDishesModern History

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“Artists are the worst [people]. They are selfish, self-centred; they don't care what happens.”

PeopleSelfHappensCareArtistWorstDon't CareSelfish

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“I remember one little rainy day I went searching for this apartment and I saw so many people standing on a stoop on the corner in the rain. Later I realized, that was drug traffic. They were all buying drugs.”

PeopleLittlesRememberSawsDrugRainStandingCornersI RealizedBuyingApartmentTrafficRainyRainy DayStoops

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“My image of what a city should be - the super-rich and all the poor and desperate and the people who have some kind of a desire. It's a surviving game, people trying to survive on many different levels.”

PeopleShouldTryingKindDifferentDesireGamesPoorLevelsCitiesRichDesperateSurvivingDifferent Levels

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“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.”

PeopleThinkingValuesNiceGenerationsSpecialUnderstoodOutstandingRespectfulYounger GenerationWarhol

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“My situation gives me certain ideas about beauty or the excitement of life, but that doesn't mean other people can necessarily appreciate it.”

PeopleGivingMeanIdeasCertainSituationAppreciateGive MeExcitementExcitement Of Life

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“This world should be much more open and should be much more free, so the young people would have the chance to exercise the quality of their lives.”

PeopleWorldShouldYoungChanceQualityThis WorldExercise

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“I think by not letting young people be fully informed, how can they have energy and passion and the right picture of the world? I think that's the true crime.”

PeopleThinkingWorldYoungPassionEnergyCrime

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“It's always nice to share your energy with young people, the people who might not have any skills but are simply willing to be a part of it.”

PeopleMightYoungEnergyNiceShareWillingSkills

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“Many people I know - writers, poets - they have all been sentenced not once but sometimes three times after they come out. They serve five or six years, come out another time, and then nine years. Come out again, 12 years. Only because they have a different opinion. They are innocent people, they have beautiful minds, beautiful hearts.”

PeopleKnowsYearsMindHeartDifferentSometimesBeautifulThreeOpinionFivePoetSixNineInnocentThree TimesNine YearsAnother TimeBeautiful HeartDifferent OpinionsBeautiful Mind

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“I always admire writers. My father was a writer, a poet. I always admire people who can clearly state their mind.”

PeopleMindStatesFatherPoetAdmire

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“I'm not a writer, but today I think you have to be everything. As an artist you have an obligation to let people know what is on your mind and why you're doing this.”

PeopleThinkingKnowsMindTodayArtistObligation

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“I'm always interested in people who are not orientated in art circles to become part of it.”

PeopleArtCircles

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“I also have to speak out for people around me who are afraid, who think it is not worth it or who have totally given up hope. So I want to set an example: you can do it and this is OK, to speak out.”

PeopleThinkingWantSpeakGivenCan DoExampleOkayWorth ItYou Can Do ItGiven UpSpeaks OutNot Worth It

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“To experience poetry is to see over and above reality. It is to discover that which is beyond the physical, to experience another life and another level of feeling. It is to wonder about the world, to understand the nature of people and, most importantly, to be shared with another, old or young, known or unknown.”

PeopleWorldFeelingsRealityYoungLevelsKnownWonderPoetry IsAnother Life

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“I want people to see their own power.”

PeopleWant

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“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.”

PeopleIfsThinkingGivingGovernmentValuesCommonProtectEssentialsGiving UpCommon SenseChinese

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“I hope that my work expresses my worldview and encourages people to exchange ideas.”

PeopleIdeasWorldview

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“We live in changing times, and many people experience the challenges that come with it. In the face of uncertain futures, no one will know what to expect.”

PeopleKnowsFacesChallengesUncertainUncertain Future

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“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.”

PeopleHumansChildrenArtStillsNaturalRichFieldsHighestPerformancesTraditionalChineseRich PeopleChinese Art

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“Each year, more people want to become artists.”

PeopleWantYearsArtist

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“[Cultural departments] don't care about culture. Maybe they're the furthest from the people who understand culture.”

PeopleCareCultureDon't CareDepartment

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“I curated this show [Shanghai Biennale ], I was by no means trying to shock people or be controversial.”

PeopleTryingMeanShowsShockControversialShanghai

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“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

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“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

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“[Being unique] gives so much privilege to people who can make it, rather than having some moral and aesthetic discussions.”

PeopleGivingMoralUniquePrivilegeDiscussionAestheticBeing Unique

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“Of course, people will call you an old artist or young artist, which is just a character of you. But personally, I don't think my work and my understanding of art is so much related to being Chinese, but the character of that. Maybe it's beyond my own consciousness.”

PeopleThinkingArtCharacterYoungArtistCoursesUnderstandingMy OwnConsciousnessArt IsChineseRelatedYoung Artists

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“Hopefully, other successes aren't like me. It carries much more meaning to other people; my success story is irrelevant. It doesn't make any sense.”

PeopleStoriesLike MeHopefullyCarrieIrrelevantSuccess Stories

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“If it's possible, I will have some noodles in the morning and start talking to people, start to think about a few things in my head - the project or a few ideas which are not finished or if there are possible directions and what will lead into another game. It's always like setting up some kind of game you can continuously play.”

PeopleIfsThinkingKindIdeasPlayGamesTalkingMorningProjectsFinishedSettingSettingsNoodles

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“I have people working together, doing different things: architecture, art installation, photography, publishing, and curatorial works and design.”

PeopleArtDifferentTogetherDesignPhotographyArchitectureDifferent ThingsWorking TogetherPublishingInstallation

Author:Ai Weiwei

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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.”

PeopleKnowsProblemMovingMotivationPassionGamesInterestingInvolvedSolveMoving ForwardEnthusiasm

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“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

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“I'm not nostalgic about the old city. I don't enjoy it that much. It was just a city with one emperor and the rest of them just rats or meaningless people.”

PeopleEnjoyCitiesMeaninglessRatsEmperorNostalgic

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“Many people are going to use [Beijing National Stadium], which makes it more meaningful. If we don't design it, somebody else has to design it.”

PeopleIfsUseDesignMeaningfulStadiumsBeijing

Author:Ai Weiwei

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“I don't belong to a working system. They only select people if you belong to one so you can be controlled.”

PeopleIfsControlledSelect

Author:Ai Weiwei

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