We literally lived underground. We dug a hole and lived there for years. My father cleaned public toilets, even though he was a highly respected poet.
AI WEIWEIWe literally lived underground. We dug a hole and lived there for years. My father cleaned public toilets, even though he was a highly respected poet.
AI WEIWEII think by shattering it we can create a new form, a new way to look at what is valuable – how we decide what is valuable.
AI WEIWEIThe United States is a melting pot. Like John F. Kennedy said, it’s a nation of immigrants. But Donald Trump wants to build a fence that clearly makes the statement: “You and I are divided.
AI WEIWEINationality and borders are barriers to our intelligence, to our imagination and to all kinds of possibilities.
AI WEIWEIAfter I came back [to China], there was still a long period of time when I felt I had nothing to do.
AI WEIWEII think it’s a responsibility for any artist to protect freedom of expression and to use any way to extend this power.
AI WEIWEIThe 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.
AI WEIWEII have people working together, doing different things: architecture, art installation, photography, publishing, and curatorial works and design.
AI WEIWEINo state or society can claim to have established human rights once and for all.
AI WEIWEIThe relationship between the Chinese government and me is like a Cold War.
AI WEIWEIThe American experience influenced my understanding of individuality, basic human rights, freedom of expression and the rights and responsibilities of citizens.
AI WEIWEII never regret anything.
AI WEIWEIArt 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.
AI WEIWEII’m totally independent. I don’t bear any responsibility to any system.
AI WEIWEIDuring the days in detention, I thought most about the moon.
AI WEIWEIWe move so fast that memory is something we can only grasp
AI WEIWEI