Quotes by Art 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. Ai Weiwei wallcommunicationart I have people working together, doing different things: architecture, art installation, photography, publishing, and curatorial works and design. Ai Weiwei photographypeopleart As a total activity - I practice curating, art, architecture, writing, and publishing all together. I still act as a living creature. Ai Weiwei practicewritingart 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. Ai Weiwei circlesartthinking As a person, I was born to give out my opinions. By giving out my opinions, I realize who I am. As long as I can communicate, I'm not so lonely. If I cannot travel, or do art, or have company, if they take away all my belongings, it doesn't matter at all. Ai Weiwei who-i-amlonelyart Life is art. Art is life. I never separate it. I don’t feel that much anger. I equally have a lot of joy. Ai Weiwei life-isjoyart I always want to design a frame that’s open to everyone. I don’t see art as a secret code. Ai Weiwei designsecretart 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. Ai Weiwei fightingexpressionart I think my stance and my way of life is my most important art. Ai Weiwei importantartthinking This is a very general understanding of art in China, that being an artist can make you money and turn you into a star. Ai Weiwei understandingstarsart Life is art. Art is life. I never separate it. Ai Weiwei art-islife-isart I'm doing quite a few things now. In one day, I will go to Kassel, Germany, for a documentary project I've been preparing for half a year. I will bring 1,001 Chinese to participate as my artwork there - any Chinese who is a Chinese passport holder and over eighteen years old could apply through my blog. I'm just bringing them to Kassel to see the art show, and pay their room and board. Ai Weiwei chineseyearsart Just look at the statistics: Each university has tens of thousands of applications for students who want to be in art school, but they can only accept a few hundred. Ai Weiwei looksartschool Because Chinese art is booming, it legitimizes this profession. Ai Weiwei professionchineseart All the rich people collect traditional Chinese art. So it's very natural for Chinese families to still see art as the highest human performance and send their children to this field. Ai Weiwei childrenpeopleart Of course, people will call you an old artist or young artist, which is just a character of you. But personally, I don't think my work and my understanding of art is so much related to being Chinese, but the character of that. Maybe it's beyond my own consciousness. Ai Weiwei characterartthinking In China, we don't have any contemporary art museums. Until a few years ago, we didn't even have a gallery. Ai Weiwei museumsyearsart I think we cannot have a double standard. We cannot see our art as different from the reality. We cannot use two different sets of judgment. Ai Weiwei realityartthinking [Shanghai Biennale] has been my attitude for as long as I've been practicing art and other cultural-related activities. Ai Weiwei attitudelongart Beijing is constructing a 100,000 m2 modern art museum, yet it will not feature any of my work. Ai Weiwei modernmuseumsart«7891011121314151617»
