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You start to see the society, how it functions, how it works. Then you have a lot of criticism about how it works.

Ai Weiwei

A nation like China has become one of the biggest production fields for exporting cheap labor, which also re-questions our history and past, re-questions human desire, and the human illusions of the past.
AI WEIWEI

Biggest Cheap Country Desire Exporting Field Labor Past Production
In the end, I think, the state’s rigidity is a function of its own insecurity, its indecisiveness.
AI WEIWEI

End Function Indecisiveness Insecurity Rigidly Thinking
My angst and my insecurity reflect the state’s angst and insecurity. The state is scared too.
AI WEIWEI

Angst Insecurity Reflect Scared State
The American experience influenced my understanding of individuality, basic human rights, freedom of expression and the rights and responsibilities of citizens.
AI WEIWEI

Country Experience Expression Individual Responsibility Right Understanding
If people are being abused or even killed during an arrest, this is highly disturbing.
AI WEIWEI

Abused Arrest Disturbing During High Killed People
It’s very essential values that we all have to protect. But in Chinese society, people are giving up on protecting these values.
AI WEIWEI

Country Essential Giving People Protect Protecting Society Value
We should use this public sphere and redefine – beyond China’s borders – what a government is allowed to do, where its powers end and where the realm of a citizen’s privacy begins.
AI WEIWEI

Allowed Border Country Government Public Redefine Sphere
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.
AI WEIWEI

Case Constrain Flight Freedom Imprisoned Land Misconception
I also have to speak out for people around me who are afraid, who think it is not worth it or who have totally given up hope. So I want to set an example: you can do it and this is OK, to speak out.
AI WEIWEI

Afraid Given Out People Speak Thinking Totally
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.
AI WEIWEI

Acceptable Citizen Course Difference Often People Politician Strong
People have been longing for this moment, because it symbolises a turning point in China’s relationship with the outside world.
AI WEIWEI

Country Longing Moment Outside People Relationship Symbolises Turning World
I think it’s a responsibility for any artist to protect freedom of expression and to use any way to extend this power.
AI WEIWEI

Artist Expression Extend Freedom Power Responsibility Thinking
I think of art as coming from daily life, daily experience. I think it’s very important not to have it become work for some kind of elite circle.
AI WEIWEI

Art Circle Coming Experience Important Thinking Work
I think art certainly is the vehicle for us to develop any new ideas, to be creative, to extend our imagination, to change the current conditions.
AI WEIWEI

Art Certainty Creative Extend Idea Imagination Thinking
Had I to create a name for these times, I’d say it is the age of craziness
AI WEIWEI

Age Craziness Create Name Time
Freedom of expression is a very essential condition for me to make any art. Also, it is an essential value for my life. I have to protect this right and also to fight for the possibility.
AI WEIWEI

Art Condition Essential Expression Fighting Freedom Make Value

You start to see the society, how it functions, how it works. Then you have a lot of criticism about how it works.

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You start to see the society, how it functions, how it works. Then you have a lot of criticism about how it works.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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