Ai Weiwei Quotes

No autocracy can lead people to believe that they are living in harmony and happiness.

Your own acts tell the world who you are and what kind of society you think it should be.

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.

China might seem quite successful in its controls, but it has only raised the water level. It’s like building a dam: it thinks there is more water so it will build higher. But every drop of water is still in there. It doesn’t understand how to let the pressure out. It builds up a way to maintain control and push the problem to the next generation.

You’re in total isolation. And you don’t know how long you’re going to be there, but you truly believe they can do anything to you. There’s no way to even question it. You’re not protected by anything. Why am I here? Your mind is very uncertain of time. You become like mad. It’s very hard for anyone. Even for people who have strong beliefs.

Antiques exist as evidence of the cultural tracks we made in the past.

One of the reasons religions are widely accepted is spiritual laziness and its resulting fear.

I don’t really care that much about if I want to be more successful or less successful in art, because I never think life and art should be separate. What’s life if you don’t have conversation and joy and anger?

China has not established the rule of law and thus there is no justice.

I think it’s a responsibility for any artist to protect freedom of expression and to use any way to extend this power.

My work has always been political, because the choice of being an artist is political in China.

Twitter is the people’s tool, the tool of the ordinary people, people who have no other resources.

They [the government] really want to maintain power. At the same time, they refuse to communicate. They refuse to have good intentions. They refuse to be sincere. How can that last?

I have to respect my life, and free expression is part of my life. I can never really silence myself.

To protect the right of expression is the central part of an artist’s activity. . . . . In China many essential rights are lacking, and I wanted to remind people of this.