“This is a very general understanding of art in China, that being an artist can make you money and turn you into a star.” Quote by Ai Weiwei
“We are living in a popular culture where everything is overexposed.” CulturePopular Culture Author:Ai Weiwei
“Just look at the statistics: Each university has tens of thousands of applications for students who want to be in art school, but they can only accept a few hundred.” WantLooksArtSchoolAcceptingStudentsHundredUniversityStatisticsApplicationArt School Author:Ai Weiwei
“I don't think China has professional museums - not in the past, present, or near future.” ThinkingPastChinaMuseumsPast Present Author:Ai Weiwei
“The museums used to be exhibition halls for government propaganda, and now every city wants to build a museum. A few thousand are to be built in the next few years, all using taxpayer money. But there is no system, no research, no content, no good programs, no good managers.” WantYearsGovernmentUsedNextCitiesThousandResearchBuiltProgramUsed To BeManagersPropagandaGood ManHallsMuseumsTaxpayersExhibitionsGood Manager Author:Ai Weiwei
“[Museums] all belongs to the cultural department, which is the biggest cultural department in the world.” WorldDepartmentMuseums Author:Ai Weiwei
“[Cultural department] understand nothing but bureaucratic daily affairs. They don't care about culture.” CareCultureAffairDon't CareDepartment Author:Ai Weiwei
“[Cultural departments] don't care about culture. Maybe they're the furthest from the people who understand culture.” PeopleCareCultureDon't CareDepartment Author:Ai Weiwei
“Everything is selected by the central government without good judgment or an understanding of culture to make it really safe. They will become nobody to maintain their power and be raised to the next higher level.” GovernmentCultureNextUnderstandingLevelsHigherSafeJudgmentRaisedSelectedHigher LevelGood JudgmentCentral Government Author:Ai Weiwei
“I curated this show [Shanghai Biennale ], I was by no means trying to shock people or be controversial.” PeopleTryingMeanShowsShockControversialShanghai Author:Ai Weiwei
