“To the media, I have become a symbolic figure, critical of China. According to the government, I am a dangerous threat.”

I hope that my work expresses my worldview and encourages people to exchange ideas.

Life is art. Art is life. I never separate it.

I think I’m just a traveler. When you walk across a river and there’s no bridge, you build one. I’m used to having to deal with Chinese Communist ideology.

Growing up, my family was an enemy of the state. I have experienced more disappointment than joy, much more sad stories or desperate conditions.

My angst and my insecurity reflect the state’s angst and insecurity. The state is scared too.

I never regret anything.

The relationship between the Chinese government and me is like a Cold War.

So, the politicians and the people who make decisions very often is the one we think can make some difference. But of course they will not make a difference if the citizens or the individuals not push it or not to speak out, to possess a very strong voice about, this is not acceptable.

If my art has nothing to do with people’s pain and sorrow, what is ‘art’ for?

To call yourself a Chinese artist or woman artist or African artist reflects a certain kind of condition. To me, that is not necessary.

I never felt like a Chinese citizen because I was pushed away at a very young age. My father, a writer, was a national enemy of the Communist Party. He was forbidden to write for 20 years.

If I look at it, I would laugh. I don’t know how I became successful.

He will still mean danger. Modern technology requires calm. You shouldn’t trust anyone with a car who has no knowledge about vehicles or roads.

I think everybody deserves freedom. Freedom is such an abstract word, but it’s all we need.

The misconception of totalitarianism is that freedom can be imprisoned. This is not the case. When you constrain freedom, freedom will take flight and land on a windowsill.

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.