Ai Weiwei
A small act is worth a million thoughts.Collection: Motivational
Everything is art. Everything is politics.Collection: Art
If there is no freedom of expression, then the beauty of life is lost. Participation in a society is not an artistic choice, it’s a human need.Collection: Expression
The art always wins. Anything can happen to me, but the art will stay.Collection: Art
The world is not changing if you don’t shoulder the burden of responsibility.Collection: Responsibility
Maybe being powerful means to be fragile.Collection: Powerful
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.Collection: Art
Without freedom of speech, there is no modern world, just a barbaric one.Collection: Freedom Of Speech
Being an artist is more of a mindset, a way of seeing things; it is no longer so much about producing something.Collection: Artist
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.Collection: Art
I think optimism is whether you are still exhilarated by life, whether you are curious, whether you still believe there is possibility.Collection: Believe
Liberty is about the right to question everything.Collection: Liberty
I want people to see their own power.Collection: People
I always want people to be confused, to be shocked or realize something later.Collection: Confused
The deadly weapon against totalitarian society is openness - doing everything very openly on the Internet, letting people know every detail, any little development. Once it is out there, everybody can make their own judgement. [Therefore] holding a trial outside the court. I think that is fairness, that is justice, that is a civil society. Otherwise call it an evil society because everything is hidden.Collection: Thinking
Stupidity can win for a moment, but it can never really succeed because the nature of humans is to seek freedom. Rulers can delay that freedom, but they cannot stop it.Collection: Winning
Creativity is the power to act.Collection: Creativity
We have to give our opinion, we have to say something, or we are a part of it. As an artist I am forced to say something.Collection: Artist
My typical day is I wake up and appreciate that I can still wake up.Collection: Appreciate
Life is much more interesting when you make a little bit of effort.Collection: Interesting
I curated this show [Shanghai Biennale ], I was by no means trying to shock people or be controversial.Collection: Mean
If there's the right condition, I always want to express the concept or ideas in a very independent way.Collection: Independent
If you just turn to your paper or television each day, there are thousands of stories that are much more shocking than the gallery artworks.Collection: Stories
I think we cannot have a double standard. We cannot see our art as different from the reality. We cannot use two different sets of judgment.Collection: Art
The relationship between the Chinese government and me is like a Cold War.Collection: War
Even though everybody who looked at me would call me a Chinese artist, that's the 1980s. New York in the '80s was not so interesting. I think it's quite narrow-minded. There wasn't much encouragement or opportunities for any artist - not just Chinese artists.Collection: Encouragement
If it's possible, I will have some noodles in the morning and start talking to people, start to think about a few things in my head - the project or a few ideas which are not finished or if there are possible directions and what will lead into another game. It's always like setting up some kind of game you can continuously play.Collection: Morning
If I really have nothing to do, I just watch my cats, take some photos, and go back to my personal blog.Collection: Cat
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.Collection: Art
You only have temporary curiosity, amusement, and challenges, but that does not necessarily mean you are really convinced that it's necessary or that it's not even worth to do it. It's just a way you have to set up some kind of activities to follow your instincts or your curiosities.Collection: Mean
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. These folks are creative and ironic, and the government can ultimately not control what is going on in their heads.Collection: Government
Even if there have been setbacks during these past years, China is changing. China's society is opening.Collection: Past
The society was so different [in China] - it was a feudalistic society. It didn't come to a point of industrial revolution until twenty years ago.Collection: Years
China seems unpredictable because it has a distinct culture and social system. It is still a mystery to other parts of the world, even though the veil of China has been lifted many times as a result of globalization.Collection: Veils
So-called Chinese art and culture is under control of the Party. They exist to serve the official agenda. I call it fake art and culture.Collection: Art
The biggest obstacle in interacting with China is the difference in perspectives about basic values. These include issues such as human rights, the concept of law and constitution.Collection: Law
My musician friends are banned from playing concerts in China because they share the same views as I do. My name cannot appear on the web, because my opinion is different from the Party.Collection: Party
All movies in China are censored. Out of 600 movies produced in China, only 60 are allowed to show in theatres.Collection: Theatre
Modern Chinese culture is weak and lackluster.Collection: Chinese
Our lives are bound by physical limits, familial ties, political conditions, and geographical restrictions. Individual freedom takes us beyond them all.Collection: Ties
China spends a lot of resources and effort on gaining soft power over culture. The hope is that it can be the last lifeline for the Party's survival. Obviously, the idea will fail.Collection: Party
My understanding of Chinese history is limited. So far, I have only scratched its surface; I wish I could find out more.Collection: Understanding
Beijing is constructing a 100,000 m2 modern art museum, yet it will not feature any of my work.Collection: Art
There is no media freedom in China. As a result, the society is corrupt and lacks productivity. It is unable to adjust itself for progress. This will lead to the country's eventual downfall.Collection: Country
China's culture and history are closely related to my living environment. This country is my birthplace. It is also where I grew up. Its culture and history shape my relations with family, friends, society, and daily life.Collection: Country
Now I've come to such a mixed culture: America, Europe, South America, Africa. And the politics are changing everywhere all the time and becoming even more unpredictable. There's no such thing as "fixed" culture. China is also becoming more global. Its problems are becoming international problems, becoming German problems, becoming American problems. Nothing is clear-cut. Perhaps I'll find my way - or get totally lost.Collection: Culture
I spend a lot of time talking to journalists.Collection: Talking
China is at a different stage of development, human rights are violated here much more often. And still, we see improvements even here.Collection: Rights
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.Collection: Government