black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

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.

Ai Weiwei

Maybe [success] is because I’m in China and I’m more open. Maybe it’s my independent behavior, or because I participated in certain projects. I have no idea.
AI WEIWEI

Behavior Certain Country Idea Independent More Open Participate Project
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

Aside Creativity Imagination Past Potential Reject Seek Status
I think China is laughing about the results of the presidential elections. China, Russia, they all laugh about it.
AI WEIWEI

Country Election Laughing Man Presidential Thinking
Society becomes very destructive.
AI WEIWEI

Destructive Society
So for too long Americans take liberty as granted. We think we are in the safe hand, the democracy and the liberty, which is not true. And it can be even getting much worse than today.
AI WEIWEI

Country Democracy Granted Liberty Think Today True Worse
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
Everything is art. Everything is politics.
AI WEIWEI

Art Changing Everything Politics World
To express yourself needs a reason, but expressing yourself is the reason.
AI WEIWEI

Express Need Reason Yourself
People have been longing for this moment, because it symbolises a turning point in China’s relationship with the outside world.
AI WEIWEI

Country Longing Moment Outside People Relationship Symbolises Turning World
I grew up in a desert, which has no kind of imagination.
AI WEIWEI

Desert Grew Imagination Kind
The deadly weapon against totalitarian society is openness – doing everything very openly on the Internet, letting people know every detail, any little development. Once it is out there, everybody can make their own judgement.
AI WEIWEI

Deadly Everything Evil Internet Letting Openness People Thinking Weapon
I saw [Allen Ginsberg] more as an old man who liked poetry and who had a lot of physical and emotional problems. We liked our time together.
AI WEIWEI

Emotion Emotional Man More Old Physical Poetry Problem Together
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 WEIWEI

Cleaned Highly Hole Literally Lived Poet Respected Toilet Underground Yera
If there is no free speech, every single life has lived in vain
AI WEIWEI

Free Life Live Single Speech Vain
Once you’ve tasted freedom, it stays in your heart and no one can take it. Then, you can be more powerful than a whole country.
AI WEIWEI

Country Freedom Heart More Powerful Take
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.
AI WEIWEI

Art Communication Definition Expression Freedom Sound Wall Way

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.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Ai Weiwei Quotes