Ai Weiwei Quotes - Page 3

Liberty is about our rights to question everything.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

It became like a symbolic thing, to be “an artist.” After Duchamp, I realized that being an artist is more about a lifestyle and attitude than producing some product.

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

If we all say the same thing, then I think the government has to listen. But because no one is saying it, I become singled out, even though what I'm saying is common sense. It's very essential values that we all have to protect. But in Chinese society, people are giving up on protecting these values.

Every day I'm learning something new from the practice. It's very rewarding.

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.

The American experience influenced my understanding of individuality, basic human rights, freedom of expression and the rights and responsibilities of citizens.

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.

Everyone of us is a potential convict.

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.

To experience poetry is to see over and above reality. It is to discover that which is beyond the physical, to experience another life and another level of feeling. It is to wonder about the world, to understand the nature of people and, most importantly, to be shared with another, old or young, known or unknown.

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.

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.

A nation that has no music and no fairytales is a tragedy.

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.

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

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

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.

Everyone thinks the Chinese government selected me. Never ever. I was selected by Herzog and de Meuron.