I’m an artist who is always looking for what is possible. I’m always looking to extend the boundaries.
AI WEIWEII don’t care if this is a great cultural event or a national symbol. It has nothing to do with me. It deals with the city.
More Ai Weiwei Quotes
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The practice of photography is no longer a means for recording reality. Instead, it has become reality itself
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What is important is that we actively express our thoughts and wishes, in every realm that we can access.
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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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This so-called fame or being better off doesn’t really attract me at all.
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The relationship between the Chinese government and me is like a Cold War.
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Democracy, material wealth, and universal education are the soil upon which modernism exists.
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The jobs for 7 million university graduates every year, the immense corruption: Even some Western governments would have to scramble to find solutions to such problems.
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We grew up in a very material-lacking socialist society, but today China is a capitalist society. It’s very materialistic. It’s full of desire and luxury goods.
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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.
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The rest of the world understands little about China’s changes and the possibilities and crises that come with them.
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We should also leave behind discrimination, because it is narrow-minded and ignorant, denies contact and warmth; and corrodes mankind’s belief that we can better ourselves.
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The tragic reality of today is reflected in the true plight of our spiritual existence. We are spineless and cannot stand straight.
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I came back [to Beijing ] because that’s the only time I had an excuse to come back, or otherwise I would never have a reason to come back.
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Self-censorship is insulting to the self. Timidity is a hopeless way forward.
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I was in the most restricted prison in China, the most tough. The design of the prison is modeled for internal crimes of the Communist party, so it’s like a mafia family’s law. It’s independent to the law this nation openly applies.
AI WEIWEI