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I spent a lot of time standing on street corners [of New York City] talking to local residents. I spent time in bookstores and galleries. But most of the time, I really did not have much to do.
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
Streets
Locals
Cities
Local
Talking
Corners
Much
Spent
Really
Street
Galleries
Time
York
Bookstores
Standing
Residents
City
Gallery
More quotes by Ai Weiwei
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A city is a place that can offer maximum freedom. Otherwise it’s incomplete.
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Life is never guaranteed to be safe, so we better use it while we are still in good condition.
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What is important is that we actively express our thoughts and wishes, in every realm that we can access.
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We have to give our opinion, we have to say something, or we are a part of it. As an artist I am forced to say something.
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Life is art. Art is life. I never separate it.
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The art always wins. Anything can happen to me, but the art will stay.
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If you just turn to your paper or television each day, there are thousands of stories that are much more shocking than the gallery artworks.
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New York was not a romantic city at [80th]. Nobody knows who you are and you don't have to care about anybody else. It's a very cold city, I should say.
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Choices after waking up: To be true or to lie? To take action or be brainwashed? To be free or be jailed?
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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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I want people to see their own power.
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Hopefully, other successes aren't like me. It carries much more meaning to other people my success story is irrelevant. It doesn't make any sense.
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My definition of art has always been the same. It is about freedom of expression. I don’t think anybody can separate art from politics. The intention to separate [the two] is itself a very political intention.
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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?
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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.
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I spend a lot of time talking to journalists.
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Art is always about overcoming obstacles between the inner condition and the skill for expression.
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I never had secure, belonging feelings with this society [in China].
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The whole attitude of society has become much more open and realistic. They realize that the only way to make a more democratic and free society is to let different opinions come out.
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