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

I don’t want the next generation to fight the same fight as I did.

Nothing is clear-cut. Perhaps I’ll find my way – or get totally lost.

The Internet has established a public sphere and developed a pressure which the government can no longer ignore.

At the moment about 350,000 students return to China from abroad each year – 350,000 young and educated people. I know about them because they know me and often ask me in the street if they can take a selfie with me.

The whole attitude of society has become much more open and realistic. They realize that the only way to make a more democratic and free society is to let different opinions come out.

I am everywhere and I am nowhere. That’s the beauty of the Internet Age.

I believe [the architecture firm] Herzog and de Meuron and our collaboration made the product the best it could be.

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 art always wins. Anything can happen to me, but the art will stay.

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.

You don’t have to march on Tiananmen, but you do have to be clear-minded, to find your own means of expression.

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.

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.

Of course, people will call you an old artist or young artist, which is just a character of you.

I think it’s quite narrow-minded. There wasn’t much encouragement or opportunities for any artist – not just Chinese artists.

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

If I were to limit myself to the opportunities that were presented playing only Chinese-American parts, I would be virtually without a career.

I’m doing quite a few things now. In one day, I will go to Kassel, Germany, for a documentary project I’ve been preparing for half a year.

Your own acts tell the world who you are and what kind of society you think it should be.

Chinese government is very clearly losing power in every aspect, but trying to fix up all the problems or potential problems.

I think I’m just a traveler. When you walk across a river and there’s no bridge, you build one. I’m used to having to deal with Chinese Communist ideology.

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

Everyone thinks the Chinese government selected me. Never ever. I was selected by Herzog and de Meuron.

I taught a lot of art history, especially Chinese, Japanese, and Indian. But the painting classes came back. The nudes came back. Not so much the still lifes.