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I want people to see their own power.

Ai Weiwei

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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
Power
People

More quotes by Ai Weiwei

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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.
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I grew up in a desert, which has no kind of imagination.
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I wouldn’t say I’ve become more radical: I was born radical.
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The freedom of speech is an important yardstick for a society's level of civilization.
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Everyone thinks the Chinese government selected me. Never ever. I was selected by Herzog and de Meuron.
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The world is not changing if you don’t shoulder the burden of responsibility.
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I'm not nostalgic about the old city. I don't enjoy it that much. It was just a city with one emperor and the rest of them just rats or meaningless people.
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I always admire writers. My father was a writer, a poet. I always admire people who can clearly state their mind.
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The relationship between the Chinese government and me is like a Cold War.
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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.
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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.
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A small act is worth a million thoughts.
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A nation like China has become one of the biggest production fields for exporting cheap labor, which also re-questions our history and past, re-questions human desire, and the human illusions of the past.
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I often feel more disgust than pride about this kind of success. So there's no regret whatsoever.
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I don't think [price] reflects if the work is good or bad.A good artist shouldn't be nervous about that.
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We grew up in a very material-lacking socialist society, but today China is a capitalist society. It's very materialistic. It's full of desire and luxury goods.
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My understanding of Chinese history is limited. So far, I have only scratched its surface I wish I could find out more.
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The media is the message. It carries the full intention and the meaning. Once you change it...it's very disturbing.
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I came back [to Beijing ] because that's the only time I had an excuse to come back, or otherwise I would never have a reason to come back.
Ai Weiwei
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Any politician who respects China's government should tell it openly what is in his heart. It is disrespectful to keep quiet about such issues - both vis-a-vis the government and the people concerned.
Ai Weiwei