I think optimism is whether you are still exhilarated by life, whether you are curious, whether you still believe there is possibility.
AI WEIWEIDuring the days in detention, I thought most about the moon.
More Ai Weiwei Quotes
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That’s why I always question this sense. The feeling of home really requires a lot of trust. It requires you to identify with it, which I always find myself very contradictory to.
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Life is never guaranteed to be safe, so we better use it while we are still in good condition.
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At the moment about 350,000 students return to China from abroad each year – 350,000 young and educated people. I know about them because they know me and often ask me in the street if they can take a selfie with me.
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We are living in a popular culture where everything is overexposed.
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I think China is laughing about the results of the presidential elections. China, Russia, they all laugh about it.
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I never think any place is better than others.
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Nationality started as something natural, but we should not be restrained by the old politics that make up these clear lines. It should have its own way of evolving. In some places, it will evolve slower and in others, faster.
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They see how dramatic U.S. has to be put this kind of shame on its own – cannot handle the situation. Or show such a difficulty with this liberal ideas. Men or women created equal. And to defend those very essential ideas.
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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.
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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.
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I don’t think China should care if this crazy old guy should have a show here or not.
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After I came back [to China], there was still a long period of time when I felt I had nothing to do.
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For me, it is OK as long as I can breathe, as long as my heart is pumping, as long as I can express myself.
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[Cultural department] understand nothing but bureaucratic daily affairs. They don’t care about culture.
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China is at a different stage of development, human rights are violated here much more often. And still, we see improvements even here.
AI WEIWEI