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 WEIWEII 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.
More Ai Weiwei Quotes
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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.
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[Being unique] gives so much privilege to people who can make it, rather than having some moral and aesthetic discussions.
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I also doubt a man can give really clear reasons for anything.
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We are not on – even just a step away from the most brutal and primitive crudity. To be very crude on those issues, which is always challenges and we always have to look at the situation like a mirror, to draw some understanding.
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If artists cannot speak up for human dignity or rights, then who else will do it?
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We have to give our opinion, we have to say something, or we are a part of it. As an artist I am forced to say something.
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There are no outdoor sports as graceful as throwing stones at a dictatorship.
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Any politician who respects China’s government should tell it openly what is in his heart. It is disrespectful to keep quiet about such issues – both vis-a-vis the government and the people concerned.
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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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[Cultural departments] don’t care about culture. Maybe they’re the furthest from the people who understand culture.
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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.
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This week, the world gathers in Beijing for the 2008 Olympic games. This is the extraordinary moment China has been dreaming of for 100 years.
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The American experience influenced my understanding of individuality, basic human rights, freedom of expression and the rights and responsibilities of citizens.
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[Museums] all belongs to the cultural department, which is the biggest cultural department in the world.
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It is to wonder about the world, to understand the nature of people and, most importantly, to be shared with another, old or young, known or unknown.
AI WEIWEI