Ai Weiwei: Quotes about people (page 2)

Ai Weiwei is Chinese concept artist. Explore interesting quotes on people.
Ai Weiwei: 436   quotes 37   likes

“No matter how long our politicians order people to sing songs of praise, no matter how many fireworks they launch into the heavens, and no matter how many foreign leaders they embrace, they cannot arouse a genuine mood of joy and celebration among the people.”

Ai Weiwei

2000-09, Happiness Can’t Be Faked, 2008

People , Mood , Singing , Joy

“To what degree does it help us to change our life, or even to sense our existence, to really evaluate “why?” I think those questions cannot be escaped. Sometimes in history it’s more hidden; somewhere these can be very personal and individual questions. But in certain times and certain places, your existence has to be associated with other people’s situations. You have to make a reaction to the living conditions. It’s not avoidable. You cannot just be blind about what is happening there. Such is the case in China.”

Ai Weiwei

2000-09, Escape from Propaganda, 2009

Life , People , History , Question

“[People] always tell me, “Weiwei, leave the nation, please.” Or “Live longer and watch them die.” Either leave, or be patient and watch how they die. I really don’t know what I’m going to do.”

Ai Weiwei

2010-, The City: Beijing, 2011

People

“I want people to see their own power.”

Ai Weiwei

2000-09, Meet the Most Interesting Person in China, 2009

People

“My voice is not for me. Every time I make a sentence I think how many people for how many generations had a voice that no one could hear. At most they will be remembered as numbers; in many cases, even numbers don’t exist.”

Ai Weiwei

2010-, Ai Weiwei: 'Every day I think, this will be the day I get taken in again...', 2011

People , Thinking , Time

“During my detention, they kept asking me: Ai Weiwei, what is the reason you have become like this today? My answer is: First, I refuse to forget. My parents, my family, their whole generation and my generation all paid a great deal in the struggle for freedom of speech. Many people died just because of one sentence or even one word. Somebody has to take responsibility for that.”

Ai Weiwei

2010-, Ai Weiwei: ‘Shame on Me.’, 2011

People , Family , Parent , Freedom

“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.”

Ai Weiwei

2000-09, Who Is Ai Weiwei?, 2009

People , Parting

“We need clear rules to play the game. We need to have respect for the law. If you play a chess game but after two or three moves you can change the rules, how can people play with you? Of course you will win, but after 60 years you will still be a bad player because you never meet anyone who can challenge you. What kind of game is that? Is that interesting? This game is not right, but who is going to say, 'Hey, let’s play fairly?”

Ai Weiwei

2010-, Ai Weiwei: The Dissident, 2011

People , Law , Game , Change

“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.”

Ai Weiwei

2010-, China’s Censorship Can Never Defeat the Internet, 2012

People , Tree

“I have the responsibility to let the people know what happened to me, and did I commit the crime or if I didn’t, what is the real accusation? Why am I in this condition today? I think it reflects our human condition in this piece of land, and if I don’t bear some responsibility.... many, many people, their voice can never be heard.”

Ai Weiwei

2010-, You’re There but You’re Not Existing, 2012

People , Thinking

“There were thousands of moving messages. People sent money from their first month’s salary. Others said: This is my retirement payment—take it. This is the money for my next pair of shoes—take it. It was very important for me to see and hear those things. Normally you do not see the warmth, humor, care and generosity of the people while writing a blog. You just feel like you are walking in a dark tunnel and you feel alone.”

Ai Weiwei

2010-, Ai Weiwei: ‘Shame on Me.’, 2011

Money , People , Shoe , Feeling

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

Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei. “ The Olympics Are a Propaganda Show http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,531883,00.html.” Spiegel, January 29, 2008.
2000-09, 2008

People , Happiness

“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.”

Ai Weiwei

2000-09, Who Is Ai Weiwei?, 2009

People , Thinking , Sense

“People have said, if you leave, you may never come back. Or they may not even let you leave. So this is always a cost you may have to pay. But I don’t want to restrict myself: When it happens, it happens. I have to deal with it, but not to prepare for it, because it is a kind of stupidity. If you prepare for it too much, you become a part of it.”

Ai Weiwei

2010-, I have to speak for people who are afraid, 2010

People , Stupidity , Parting

“Freedom of speech implies the world isn’t defined. It is meaningful when people are allowed to see the world their way.”

Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei Twitter feed: @AiWW (8:16 p.m. December 22, 2011).
2010-, Twitter feeds, 2010-12

People , World , Way , Freedom

“Beijing is two cities. One is of power and of money. People don’t care who their neighbors are; they don’t trust you. The other city is one of desperation. I see people on public buses, and I see their eyes, and I see they hold no hope. They can’t even imagine that they’ll be able to buy a house. They come from very poor villages where they’ve never seen electricity or toilet paper.”

Ai Weiwei

2010-, The City: Beijing, 2011

Money , People , Hope , Imagination

“The government may be made up of clever, sensible people. But if they do not believe in basic human values, the more clever or shrewd they are the greater the tragedy they will create.”

Ai Weiwei

2000-09, Truth to Power, 2008

People

“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

2010-, Ai Weiwei Says Blind Dissident’s Escape Will Inspire Chinese, 2012

People

“To me, to be political means you associate your work with a larger number of people’s living conditions, and that includes both mental and physical conditions. And you try to use your work to affect the situation.”

Ai Weiwei

2000-09, Escape from Propaganda, 2009

People

“I think we have too much history. It’s not so important. I think people should have fun and enjoy their own time. I haven’t done much, so why should I waste people’s memory?”

Ai Weiwei

2000-09, Who Is Ai Weiwei?, 2009

People , History , Thinking , Memory