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.
AI WEIWEIToday, 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.
More Ai Weiwei Quotes
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If a nation cannot face its past, it has no future.
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You have so many museums in the West, and so many shows, you need somebody to show the work, otherwise it’s empty.
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And the kind of condition he had when he was in this society – the kind of mistreatment society gave him.
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Maybe being powerful means to be fragile.
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After I came back [to China], there was still a long period of time when I felt I had nothing to do.
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[Cultural departments] don’t care about culture. Maybe they’re the furthest from the people who understand culture.
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My definition of art has always been the same. It is about freedom of expression. I don’t think anybody can separate art from politics. The intention to separate [the two] is itself a very political intention.
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The museums used to be exhibition halls for government propaganda, and now every city wants to build a museum.
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By participating in the society we live in, we understand our conditions and the way we relate to the world.
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I have to respect my life, and free expression is part of my life. I can never really silence myself.
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Civilization has evolved toward more acceptance, understanding and tolerance of global thinking. If we accept differences, our creativity booms. It makes life much more colorful.
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If civil society has nobody who protects the law, then what kind of society is that?
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I don’t want the next generation to fight the same fight as I did.
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My definition of art has always been the same. It is about freedom of expression, a new way of communication. It is never about exhibiting in museums or about hanging it on the wall.
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Creativity is the power to reject the past, to change the status quo, and to seek new potential. Simply put, aside from using one’s imagination – perhaps more importantly – creativity is the power to act.
AI WEIWEI