Ai Weiwei Quotes, Real Quotes, Thinking Quotes

Chinese citizens have never had the right to really express their opinions; in the constitution it says you can, but in the real world it is more dangerous. In the west people think it's a right they're born with. Here it's a right given by the government, and one that's not really practised.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Real Quotes , Thinking Quotes

Life is much more interesting when you make a little bit of effort.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Interesting Quotes , Effort Quotes

By participating in the society we live in, we understand our conditions and the way we relate to the world.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Way Quotes , World Quotes

If my art has nothing to do with people's pain and sorrow, what is 'art' for?

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Art Quotes , Pain Quotes

I suddenly realized I was getting ten opening notes a day on my mobile phone, more than when I was in New York. But this is China, where nothing is surprising.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , New York Quotes , Phones Quotes

In the end, I think, the state's rigidity is a function of its own insecurity, its indecisiveness.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Thinking Quotes , Insecurity Quotes

I'm doing quite a few things now. In one day, I will go to Kassel, Germany, for a documentary project I've been preparing for half a year. I will bring 1,001 Chinese to participate as my artwork there - any Chinese who is a Chinese passport holder and over eighteen years old could apply through my blog. I'm just bringing them to Kassel to see the art show, and pay their room and board.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Art Quotes , Years Quotes

My childhood was quite extreme. Sometimes I was so weak I could not stand up. But now I am so strong. Life is unpredictable

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Strong Quotes , Childhood Quotes

The art always wins. Anything can happen to me, but the art will stay.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Art Quotes , Winning Quotes

The media is the message. It carries the full intention and the meaning. Once you change it...it's very disturbing.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Media Quotes , Messages Quotes

[Cultural departments] don't care about culture. Maybe they're the furthest from the people who understand culture.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , People Quotes , Culture Quotes

I don't think China should care if this crazy old guy should have a show here or not. You have so many museums in the West, and so many shows, you need somebody to show the work, otherwise it's empty.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Crazy Quotes , Thinking Quotes

Each year, more people want to become artists.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Artist Quotes , Years Quotes

I never saw [Allen Ginsberg] as some kind of crazy figure.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Crazy Quotes , Saws Quotes

I think China is laughing about the results of the presidential elections. China, Russia, they all laugh about it. 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.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Men Quotes , Thinking Quotes

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.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Art Quotes , Fighting Quotes

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.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Men Quotes , Giving Quotes

Creativity is the power to reject the past, to change the status quo, and to seek new potential. Simply put, aside from using one's imagination - perhaps more importantly - creativity is the power to act.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Creativity Quotes , Past Quotes

There are no outdoor sports as graceful as throwing stones at a dictatorship.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Sports Quotes , Throwing Stones Quotes

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. They lack any ability to sense what is beautiful or what is proper. They can be learned and skillful, but they lack the ability to make their own free judgment. It is really sad to see young adults of 20, 25 years who were never taught to make their own decisions. 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.

6 years ago

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Tags : Ai Weiwei Quotes , Beautiful Quotes , Responsibility Quotes