I don’t see myself as a dissident artist. I see them as a dissident government! - Ai Weiwei

I tell people that because you don’t bear any responsibility, you put me in danger. If we all say the same thing, then I think the government has to listen. But because no one is saying it, I become singled out, even though what I’m saying is common sense. It’s very essential values that we all have to protect. But in Chinese society, people are giving up on protecting these values.

Measuring national prestige by gold medals is like using Viagra to judge the potency of a man.

We see plenty of artistic work that reflects superficial social conditions, but very little work that questions fundamental values.