“I think optimism is whether you are still exhilarated by life, whether you are curious, whether you still believe there is possibility.”

Through my work and ways of expression, I strive to engage in dialogue with the society that I am living in.

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.

I don’t think China should care if this crazy old guy should have a show here or not.

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

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.

The media is the message. It carries the full intention and the meaning. Once you change it…it’s very disturbing.

We move so fast that memory is something we can only grasp

The intention to separate art from politics is itself a very political intention.

I have always stated I designed the stadium as a toilet seat.

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

There’s no single artwork I even want to mention or that I can even really think about it to have any feeling, to be proud of it.

I think of art as coming from daily life, daily experience. I think it’s very important not to have it become work for some kind of elite circle.

We never really see the global situation as a total situation. Today’s political leaders are still lacking of the vision.

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.

People who can’t do that don’t get a sense of responsibility. And if you lack a sense of responsibility, you push the blame onto the system.

They very often just try to cope with their own election, their own popularity, solving the problem or selling the ideas to meet their own voters. By doing that, it creates a great imbalance in terms of making deals or treaty or all those things.

Optimism is the light at the end of a dark tunnel.

There’s a tremendous bias against taking risks. Everyone is trying to optimize their ass-covering.

Though we are optimistic, we must remain vigilant and maintain a sense of urgency.

I think all Americans should be hopeful, and try to be optimistic.

To think in terms of either pessimism or optimism oversimplifies the truth. The problem is to see reality as it is.

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.

Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward.

Optimism can keep a fool from accepting failure.