For years, I refused to go to any openings, not even my own. Ai Weiwei More Quotes by Ai Weiwei More Quotes From Ai Weiwei The deadly weapon against totalitarian society is openness - doing everything very openly on the Internet, letting people know every detail, any little development. Once it is out there, everybody can make their own judgement. [Therefore] holding a trial outside the court. I think that is fairness, that is justice, that is a civil society. Otherwise call it an evil society because everything is hidden. Ai Weiwei evil people thinking Once you've tasted freedom, it stays in your heart and no one can take it. Then, you can be more powerful than a whole country. Ai Weiwei powerful heart country Choices after waking up: To be true or to lie? To take action or be brainwashed? To be free or be jailed? Ai Weiwei wake-up choices lying Every day I'm learning something new from the practice. It's very rewarding. Ai Weiwei learning-something-new something-new practice I want people to see their own power. Ai Weiwei want people For artists and intellectuals today, what is most needed is to be clear about social responsibility, because that is what most people automatically give up. Just to protect yourself as an individual is very political. You don't have to march on Tiananmen, but you do have to be clear-minded, to find your own means of expression. Ai Weiwei giving-up responsibility mean Without freedom of speech, there is no modern world, just a barbaric one. Ai Weiwei freedom-of-speech modern world Censorship is saying: "I'm the one who says the last sentence. Whatever you say, the conclusion is mine." But the internet is like a tree that is growing. The people will always have the last word – even if someone has a very weak, quiet voice. Such power will collapse because of a whisper. Ai Weiwei quiet-voice tree people Creativity is the power to act. Ai Weiwei creativity If my art has nothing to do with people's pain and sorrow, what is 'art' for? Ai Weiwei pain people art No state or society can claim to have established human rights once and for all. Ai Weiwei states claims rights I wouldn’t say I’ve become more radical: I was born radical. Ai Weiwei radical born This so-called contemporary art is not a form, but a philosophy of society. Ai Weiwei form philosophy art Self-censorship is insulting to the self. Timidity is a hopeless way forward. Ai Weiwei way-forward insulting self If human rights are supposed to have any meaning, then they have to be discussed openly. Ai Weiwei human-rights humans rights Life is never guaranteed to be safe, so we better use it while we are still in good condition. Ai Weiwei use safe life-is If there is no free speech, every single life has lived in vain Ai Weiwei single-life vain speech To experience poetry is to see over and above reality. It is to discover that which is beyond the physical, to experience another life and another level of feeling. It is to wonder about the world, to understand the nature of people and, most importantly, to be shared with another, old or young, known or unknown. Ai Weiwei feelings reality people When human beings are scared and feel everything is exposed to the government, we will censor ourselves from free thinking. That's dangerous for human development. Ai Weiwei government development thinking To call yourself a Chinese artist or woman artist or African artist reflects a certain kind of condition. To me, that is not necessary. Ai Weiwei chinese kind artist
