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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.

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
Limited
Chinese
Surface
Understanding
Wish
History
Find
Scratched

More quotes by Ai Weiwei

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The so-called culture nowadays is only a fake one with a superficial front. It is an empty lie.
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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.
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I think of art as coming from daily life, daily experience. I think it's very important not to have it become work for some kind of elite circle.
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China has not established the rule of law and if there is a power above the law there is no social justice. Everybody can be subjected to harm. I'm just a citizen: my life is equal in value to any other. But I'm thankful that when I lost my freedom so many people shared feelings and put such touching effort into helping me.
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Overturning police cars is a super-intense workout. It’s probably the only sport I enjoy.
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If my art has nothing to do with people's pain and sorrow, what is 'art' for?
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If artists cannot speak up for human dignity or rights, then who else will do it?
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Without freedom of speech, there is no modern world, just a barbaric one.
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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.
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If there is no free speech, every single life has lived in vain
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As a total activity - I practice curating, art, architecture, writing, and publishing all together. I still act as a living creature.
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If human rights are supposed to have any meaning, then they have to be discussed openly.
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Many people I know - writers, poets - they have all been sentenced not once but sometimes three times after they come out. They serve five or six years, come out another time, and then nine years. Come out again, 12 years. Only because they have a different opinion. They are innocent people, they have beautiful minds, beautiful hearts.
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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.
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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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Otherwise, I think the building can be bigger, larger, and the city can be much more crazy. The problem is the government structure is so deadly stupid, not really solving problems but creating a lot of problems itself every day.
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Freedom of expression is a very essential condition for me to make any art. Also, it is an essential value for my life. I have to protect this right and also to fight for the possibility.
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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.
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This so-called fame or being better off doesn't really attract me at all.
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Man has a tendency to try to give clear reasons to be rational, but often you can see how all those reasons are not convincing and turn out to be a big nonsense.
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