Quote

Art is always about overcoming obstacles between the inner condition and the skill for expression.

Ai Weiwei

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Ai Weiwei
Age: 67
Born: 1957
Born: May 18
Architect
Consultant
Contemporary Artist
Designer
Film Director
Human Rights Activist
Painter
Photographer
Sculptor
Social Activist
Peking
Wei-wei Ai
Weiwei Ai
Ai Wei Wei
Overcoming
Condition
Inner
Skills
Conditions
Expression
Art
Skill
Always
Obstacles

More quotes by Ai Weiwei

Image
If I look at it, I would laugh. I don't know how I became successful.
Ai Weiwei
Image
I never think any place is better than others.
Ai Weiwei
Image
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.
Ai Weiwei
Image
Twitter is the people’s tool, the tool of the ordinary people, people who have no other resources.
Ai Weiwei
Image
Of course, there [in China] has to be chaos. It has to be crazy, and I don't think there's anything wrong about it except this government, which is really incapable of doing anything meaningful.
Ai Weiwei
Image
In an environment without public platform nor protection, the individual is the most powerful and most responsible.
Ai Weiwei
Image
I never saw [Allen Ginsberg] as some kind of crazy figure.
Ai Weiwei
Image
I don't think I was very structured in that society and I don't really believe in personal success, which most Americans believe in.
Ai Weiwei
Image
After I came back [to China], there was still a long period of time when I felt I had nothing to do.
Ai Weiwei
Image
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.
Ai Weiwei
Image
In a society that restricts individual freedoms and violates human rights, anything that calls itself creative or independent is a pretence. It is impossible for a totalitarian society to create anything with passion and imagination.
Ai Weiwei
Image
I'm not a writer, but today I think you have to be everything. As an artist you have an obligation to let people know what is on your mind and why you're doing this.
Ai Weiwei
Image
Because Great Britain has self-confidence, it doesn't need a monumental Olympics.
Ai Weiwei
Image
Just look at the statistics: Each university has tens of thousands of applications for students who want to be in art school, but they can only accept a few hundred.
Ai Weiwei
Image
I don't belong to a working system. They only select people if you belong to one so you can be controlled.
Ai Weiwei
Image
I think it's more important to show your work to the public.
Ai Weiwei
Image
People have a tendency to become elite rather than to care about the general conditions of the society, which makes me sick. It's an unbearable condition.
Ai Weiwei
Image
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.
Ai Weiwei
Image
If Shakespeare were alive today, he might be writing on Twitter.
Ai Weiwei
Image
Chinese government is very clearly losing power in every aspect, but trying to fix up all the problems or potential problems.
Ai Weiwei