It is not an easy job to govern China, I am aware of that. There are crises and emergencies all the time, we might not even be aware of some. But I am afraid we'll have to wait and observe precisely what the government is up to. Ai Weiwei More Quotes by Ai Weiwei More Quotes From Ai Weiwei Only with the Internet can a peasant I have never met hear my voice and I can learn what's on his mind. A fairy tale has come true. Ai Weiwei fairy-tale voice mind I don't think it's worth discussing new directions in the context of Chinese art - there were no old directions, either. Chinese art has never had any clear orientation. Ai Weiwei chinese art thinking I see the Beijing National Stadium as an architectural project. I accepted Herzog and De Meuron's invitation to collaborate on the design, and our proposal won the competition. From beginning to end, I stayed with the project. I am committed to fostering relationships between a city and its architecture. Ai Weiwei competition design cities Because Great Britain has self-confidence, it doesn't need a monumental Olympics. Ai Weiwei olympics self-confidence needs Freedom of speech implies the world isn’t defined. It is meaningful when people are allowed to see the world their way. Ai Weiwei freedom-of-speech meaningful people The people who control culture in China have no culture. Ai Weiwei china culture people We see the tendency in the world to criticise democracy and sometimes even to say that authoritarian countries like China are more efficient. That is very short-sighted. China looks efficient only because it can sacrifice most people's rights. This is not something the west should be happy about. Ai Weiwei sacrifice rights country I'm a free man now, except I cannot leave China. You know, I have no desire to travel. I have so many things to do; I cannot finish them now. Ai Weiwei desire men travel In a society that restricts individual freedoms and violates human rights, anything that calls itself creative or independent is a pretence. It is impossible for a totalitarian society to create anything with passion and imagination. Ai Weiwei independent passion rights Cities really are mental conditions. Beijing is a nightmare. A constant nightmare. Ai Weiwei beijing nightmare cities The world is sphere, has no East or West. Ai Weiwei east west world I will never leave China, unless I am forced to. Because China is mine. I will not leave something that belongs to me in the hands of people I do not trust. Ai Weiwei patriotism hands people A city is a place that can offer maximum freedom. Otherwise it’s incomplete. Ai Weiwei maximum incomplete cities To survive, China had to open up to the West. It could not survive otherwise. This was after many millions have died of hunger in a country that was like North Korea is today. Once we became part of global competition, we had to agree to some rules. It's painful, but we had to. Otherwise there was no way to survive. Ai Weiwei korea competition country Dont retreat. Retweet! Ai Weiwei retweet retreat Recently I danced in a video spoof of the song 'Gangnam Style,' and it was quickly banned across multiple Chinese online video platforms. But the story still traveled all over the world, carried in hundreds of international media reports. Ai Weiwei style media song My childhood was quite extreme. Sometimes I was so weak I could not stand up. But now I am so strong. Life is unpredictable Ai Weiwei childhood strong sometimes No outdoor sports can be more elegant than throwing stones at autocracy; no melees can be more exciting than those in cyberspace. Ai Weiwei cyberspace throwing-stones sports Widespread state control over art and culture has left no room for freedom of expression in the country. For more than 60 years, anyone with a dissenting opinion has been suppressed. Chinese art is merely a product: it avoids any meaningful engagement. There is no larger context. Its only purpose is to charm viewers with its ambiguity. Ai Weiwei meaningful country art Historically, China is not a nation of sportsmen. We traditionally put more emphasis on being close to nature than pushing endlessly to excel. A philosophy that values tranquil contemplation of the landscape cannot easily be adapted to the Olympic slogan of 'higher, stronger, faster.' Ai Weiwei landscape stronger philosophy
