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If civil society has nobody who protects the law, then what kind of society is that?

Ai Weiwei

I spent a lot of time standing on street corners [of New York City] talking to local residents. I spent time in bookstores and galleries. But most of the time, I really did not have much to do.
AI WEIWEI

Cities Country Talking Local Resident Spent Time
It’s just a way you have to set up some kind of activities to follow your instincts or your curiosities.
AI WEIWEI

Activity Curiosity Follow Instinct Kind Set Some Way
Somehow, we [ Tan Dun and director Chen Kaige] were all privileged at the time; we could be outside of China. But at the moment, we had no sense of what the future was going to be like.
AI WEIWEI

Country Director Future Going Moment Outside Priilied Somehow Time
They’ve become part of a conspiracy, collaborators of the crime, which is lying to the general public and trying to hide the kind of criminal acts happening in many cases.
AI WEIWEI

Case Collaborator Conspiracy Criminal Happening Hide Kind Public Trying
In my life, I often make so-called major decisions by very quick, immediate responses.
AI WEIWEI

Decision Immediate Life Major Often Quick Response
I never had secure, belonging feelings with this society [in China].
AI WEIWEI

China Feelings This Society
I deal with students every day – from China, Germany, the United States, Hong Kong and Taiwan. And I’ve noticed that the Chinese students are the least trained in having a sense of aesthetics.
AI WEIWEI

Beautiful Country Deal Noticed People Responsibility Student United State
I also doubt a man can give really clear reasons for anything.
AI WEIWEI

Anything Clear Doubt Giving Man Really Reason
I don’t believe in a sense of home.
AI WEIWEI

Believe Home Sense
This so-called fame or being better off doesn’t really attract me at all.
AI WEIWEI

All Attract Better Called Fame
When human beings are scared and feel everything is exposed to the government, we will censor ourselves from free thinking. That’s dangerous for human development.
AI WEIWEI

Censor Development Everything Exposed Feel Government Ourselves Scared Thinking
I think it’s quite narrow-minded. There wasn’t much encouragement or opportunities for any artist – not just Chinese artists.
AI WEIWEI

Artist Country Encouragement Minded Narrow Opportunities Think
There are many cases and layers of racist behavior in the US – from police treatment to the issues of education and job opportunities. In America, however, such cases are being discussed publically.
AI WEIWEI

Country Education Issue Job Opportunity Racist Treatment
The project or a few ideas which are not finished or if there are possible directions and what will lead into another game. It’s always like setting up some kind of game you can continuously play.
AI WEIWEI

Continuously Direction Finished Game Lead Play Possible Project Setting
Man has a tendency to try to give clear reasons to be rational, but often you can see how all those reasons are not convincing and turn out to be a big nonsense.
AI WEIWEI

Clear Giving Man Often Rational Reaction Reason Tendency Trying
This world should be much more open and should be much more free, so the young people would have the chance to exercise the quality of their lives.
AI WEIWEI

Chance Exercise Free More Much People Quality World Young
The art always wins. Anything can happen to me, but the art will stay.
AI WEIWEI

Anything Art Artwork Happen Winning
I think optimism is whether you are still exhilarated by life, whether you are curious, whether you still believe there is possibility.
AI WEIWEI

Believe Curious Optimism Still Thinking
It’s the place they take you before they give you over to the judicial system. You stay there for a year or two and they make you really suffer to confess everything.
AI WEIWEI

Before Confess Everything Judicial Over Place Stay Suffer System
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.
AI WEIWEI

Above Beyond Experience Feeling Over People Physical Poetry Reality
I’m an artist who is always looking for what is possible. I’m always looking to extend the boundaries.
AI WEIWEI

Artist Boundaries Extend Looking Possible
I think everybody deserves freedom. Freedom is such an abstract word, but it’s all we need.
AI WEIWEI

Abstract Art Everybody Freedom Need Thinking
No state or society can claim to have established human rights once and for all.
AI WEIWEI

Claim Established Human Right Society State
To give a price to an artwork, no matter how high or low, is always absurd. It’s not something that can be measured by money or by certain numbers.
AI WEIWEI

Absurd Always Artwork Giving High Matter Measured Number Price Something
You need a purpose to express yourself, but that expression is its own purpose.
AI WEIWEI

Express Expression Need Purpose Yourself
I don’t think my father had a direct influence on me, but I do think, more or less, I was influenced by his independent individualism.
AI WEIWEI

Direct Father Independent Influence Thinking
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.
AI WEIWEI

Art Circle Coming Experience Important Thinking Work

If civil society has nobody who protects the law, then what kind of society is that?

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If civil society has nobody who protects the law, then what kind of society is that?

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