Ai Weiwei Quotations | Page 2

My work is always a ready-made... cultural, political, or social, and also it could be art - to make people re-look at what we have done, its original position, to create new possibilities.

I'm a free man now, except I cannot leave China. You know, I have no desire to travel. I have so many things to do; I cannot finish them now.

No outdoor sports can be more elegant than throwing stones at autocracy; no melees can be more exciting than those in cyberspace.

These are nonviolent people who have lost their freedom simply because they expressed their ideas.... In truth, they are heroes of our time.

If Shakespeare were alive today, he might be writing on Twitter.

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

No matter what happens, nothing can prevent the historical process by which society demands freedom and democracy,

Twitter is most suitable for me. In the Chinese language, 140 characters is a novella,

The purpose of art is the fight for freedom,

You need a purpose to express yourself, but that expression is its own purpose.

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

A historical property has morals and ethics of the society that created it and it can be revived. What I mean is that we can discover new possibilities from the process of dismantling, transforming, and recreating.

The idea to use backpacks came from my visit to Sichuan after the earthquake in May 2008. During the earthquake many schools collapsed. Thousands of young students lost their lives, and you could see bags and study material everywhere. Then you realize individual life, media, and the lives of the students are serving very different purposes. The lives of the students disappeared within the state propaganda, and very soon everybody will forget everything.

I don’t want the next generation to fight the same fight as I did.

Had I to create a name for these times, I’d say it is the age of craziness

Dont retreat. Retweet!

In an environment without public platform nor protection, the individual is the most powerful and most responsible.

I always want to design a frame that’s open to everyone. I don’t see art as a secret code.

The people who control culture in China have no culture.

Once you've tasted freedom, it stays in your throat.

The practice of photography is no longer a means for recording reality. Instead, it has become reality itself

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.

Art needs to stand for something.

Behind every political deal in this country, the first casualties are always the ordinary people, who are barely treated as human.

If artists cannot speak up for human dignity or rights, then who else will do it?

Through my work and ways of expression, I strive to engage in dialogue with the society that I am living in.

I hope that my work expresses my worldview and encourages people to exchange ideas.

China has a rich history that has spanned millennia. It consists of the histories of many nations and regions.

The demand for individual freedom leads us to different realms, and it enables us to participate in social events.

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.

We live in changing times, and many people experience the challenges that come with it. In the face of uncertain futures, no one will know what to expect.

The freedom of speech is an important yardstick for a society's level of civilization.

Our lives are bound by physical limits, familial ties, political conditions, and geographical restrictions. Individual freedom takes us beyond them all.

What is important is that we actively express our thoughts and wishes, in every realm that we can access.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The importance of elections, transparency, legal procedures, an independent army, and the judicial system is not regarded as highly in China. These core values are the most important evidence of the health of a society, quality of life, and security. A clear understanding of such differences will help the rest of the world understand China and all that is happening to the nation.

Beijing is constructing a 100,000 m2 modern art museum, yet it will not feature any of my work.

My understanding of Chinese history is limited. So far, I have only scratched its surface; I wish I could find out more.

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.

Modern Chinese culture is weak and lackluster.

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.

All movies in China are censored. Out of 600 movies produced in China, only 60 are allowed to show in theatres.

The so-called culture nowadays is only a fake one with a superficial front. It is an empty lie.

Democracy, material wealth, and universal education are the soil upon which modernism exists.

Once you've tasted freedom, it stays in your heart and no one can take it. Then, you can be more powerful than a whole country.

To express yourself needs a reason, but expressing yourself is the reason.

I think it's more important to show your work to the public.

We move so fast that memory is something we can only grasp

The Internet changes the structure of society all the time—this massiveness made of individuals.

In a society like this there is no negotiation, no discussion, except to tell you that power can crush you any time they want—not only you, your whole family and all people like you.

Without freedom of speech, there is no modern world, just a barbaric one.

Life is never guaranteed to be safe, so we better use it while we are still in good condition.

I have to find a place for my own. I have to search for my own happiness.

I think by not letting young people be fully informed, how can they have energy and passion and the right picture of the world? I think that's the true crime.

I loved New York—every inch of it. It was a little bit scary at that time, but still, the excitement was so strong—visually and intellectually. It was like a monster.

Dictatorship is a story about death of others who turn out to be you coincidently.

Imagine one day, the hateful world around you collapses. And it is your attitude, words and actions that put an end to it. Will you be excited?

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

...photographs are facts, but not necessarily true... The present always surpasses the past, and the future will not care about today.

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. It's the place they take you before they give you over to the judicial system. You stay there for a year or two and they make you really suffer to confess everything.

We should leave behind discrimination, because it is narrow-minded and ignorant, denies contact and warmth, and corrodes mankind’s belief that we can better ourselves. The only way to avoid misunderstanding, war, and bloodshed is to defend freedom of expression and to communicate with sincerity, concern, and good intentions.

Mass production is nothing new. Weren't cathedrals built through mass production? The pyramids?... Paintings can be painted with the left hand, the right hand, someone else's hand, or many people's hands. The scale of production is irrelevant to its content.

I want people to see their own power.

The Internet is uncontrollable. And if the Internet is uncontrollable, freedom will win. It's as simple as that.

I think art is a very important weapon to achieve human freedom

This world should be much more open and should be much more free, so the young people would have the chance to exercise the quality of their lives.

As a human being, member of society, you must clearly state your mind. It's a responsibility. It is the way you identify yourself otherwise you don't know who you are and why you are here.

Overturning police cars is a super-intense workout. It’s probably the only sport I enjoy.

Everyone of us is a potential convict.

Liberty is about our rights to question everything.

Technology is a liberation. I think the information age probably is the best thing to happen to the human race in human evolution. Now you have the equal opportunity to equip yourself through information and knowledge and express yourself as an independent mind.

Self-censorship is insulting to the self. Timidity is a hopeless way forward.

Life is art. Art is life. I never separate it.

The tragic reality of today is reflected in the true plight of our spiritual existence. We are spineless and cannot stand straight.

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.

I think optimism is whether you are still exhilarated by life, whether you are curious, whether you still believe there is possibility.

During the days in detention, I thought most about the moon.

I think it’s a responsibility for any artist to protect freedom of expression and to use any way to extend this power.

I think by shattering it we can create a new form, a new way to look at what is valuable—how we decide what is valuable.

This so-called contemporary art is not a form, but a philosophy of society,

The rest of the world understands little about China's changes and the possibilities and crises that come with them.

I am very much interested in the so-called useless object. I mean, it takes perfect craftsmanship, beautiful material carefully measured and crafted, but at the same time it’s really useless.

A society is healthy only when it allows its members to discuss their thoughts openly. This is also the only way that a society can gather consensus, let everyone express his or her wish, and foster creativity.

China restricts the society's freedom of speech. The Communist Party imposes these limits because it lacks confidence towards the future and has no ideals. Nowadays, China is experiencing the detrimental effects of such decisions. Its citizens have no creativity.

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

China didn't want to lose the cutting edge of technology. So the idea of having a Sina Weibo was an attempt to compete with Twitter. However, it has no soul - which is freedom of expression. Nevertheless, I think the government regrets having Sina Weibo, but they cannot shut it down. That would definitely be suicidal.

Say what you say plainly, and then take responsibility for it.

Being an artist is more of a mindset, a way of seeing things; it is no longer so much about producing something.

If there is no free speech, every single life has lived in vain

Art should live in the heart of the people. Ordinary people should have the same ability to understand art as anybody else. I don't think art is elite or mysterious.

You can never know what is and what is not powerful, but you can always find out what the powerful people are scared of. A state like China looks so powerful, but they are so scared of the Internet, so the Internet is more powerful than them.

I have to respect my life, and free expression is part of my life. I can never really silence myself.

I think everybody deserves freedom. Freedom is such an abstract word, but it's all we need.

Creativity is the power to act.

For artists and intellectuals today, what is most needed is to be clear about social responsibility, because that is what most people automatically give up. Just to protect yourself as an individual is very political. You don't have to march on Tiananmen, but you do have to be clear-minded, to find your own means of expression.

Choices after waking up: To be true or to lie? To take action or be brainwashed? To be free or be jailed?

Liberty is about the right to question everything.