I curated this show [Shanghai Biennale ], I was by no means trying to shock people or be controversial.
AI WEIWEILife is art. Art is life. I never separate it. I don’t feel that much anger. I equally have a lot of joy.
More Ai Weiwei Quotes
-
-
To work in architecture you are so much involved with society, with politics, with bureaucrats. It’s a very complicated process to do large projects.
AI WEIWEI -
My definition of art has always been the same. It is about freedom of expression. I don’t think anybody can separate art from politics. The intention to separate [the two] is itself a very political intention.
AI WEIWEI -
And who is going to win the competition if U.S. cannot hold a strong ideology? And even the U.S. would’ve lost the ground to win.
AI WEIWEI -
It is not an easy job to govern China, I am aware of that. There are crises and emergencies all the time, we might not even be aware of some. But I am afraid we’ll have to wait and observe precisely what the government is up to.
AI WEIWEI -
[Shanghai Biennale] has been my attitude for as long as I’ve been practicing art and other cultural-related activities.
AI WEIWEI -
In my life, I often make so-called major decisions by very quick, immediate responses.
AI WEIWEI -
I don’t think China should care if this crazy old guy should have a show here or not.
AI WEIWEI -
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 -
[Museums] all belongs to the cultural department, which is the biggest cultural department in the world.
AI WEIWEI -
Technology is a liberation. I think the information age probably is the best thing to happen to the human race in human evolution.
AI WEIWEI -
Nowadays, China is experiencing the detrimental effects of such decisions. Its citizens have no creativity.
AI WEIWEI -
You need a purpose to express yourself, but that expression is its own purpose.
AI WEIWEI -
But personally, I don’t think my work and my understanding of art is so much related to being Chinese, but the character of that. Maybe it’s beyond my own consciousness.
AI WEIWEI -
A clear understanding of such differences will help the rest of the world understand China and all that is happening to the nation.
AI WEIWEI -
People who can’t do that don’t get a sense of responsibility. And if you lack a sense of responsibility, you push the blame onto the system.
AI WEIWEI