Top 140 Ai Weiwei Quotes (2024 Update)

1. “Everything is art. Everything is politics.”

— Ai Weiwei

2. “When you have strict censorship of the internet, young students cannot receive a full education. Their view of the world is imbalanced. There can be no true discussion of the issues.”

— Ai Weiwei

3. “Life is art. Art is life. I never separate it.”

— Ai Weiwei

4. “A small act is worth a million thoughts.”

— Ai Weiwei

5. “Creativity is part of human nature. It can only be untaught.”

— Ai Weiwei

6. “Creativity is the power to reject the past, to change the status quo, and to seek new potential. Simply put, aside from using one’s imagination – perhaps more importantly – creativity is the power to act.”

— Ai Weiwei

7. “Creativity is the power to act.”

— Ai Weiwei

8. “I am everywhere and I am nowhere. That’s the beauty of the Internet Age.”

— Ai Weiwei

9. “Maybe being powerful means to be fragile.”

— Ai Weiwei

10. “The world is not changing if you don’t shoulder the burden of responsibility.”

— Ai Weiwei

11. “There are no outdoor sports as graceful as throwing stones at a dictatorship.”

— Ai Weiwei

12. “Expressing oneself is like a drug. I’m so addicted to it.”

— Ai Weiwei

13. “If there is no freedom of expression, then the beauty of life is lost. Participation in a society is not an artistic choice, it’s a human need.”

— Ai Weiwei

14. “The world is a sphere, there is no East or West.”

— Ai Weiwei

15. “To express yourself needs a reason, but expressing yourself is the reason.”

— Ai Weiwei

16. “Without freedom of speech, there is no modern world, just a barbaric one.”

— Ai Weiwei

17. “Everyone of us is a potential convict.”

— Ai Weiwei

18. “Liberty is about the right to question everything.”

— Ai Weiwei

19. “Technology is a liberation. I think the information age probably is the best thing to happen to the human race in human evolution. Now you have the equal opportunity to equip yourself through information and knowledge and express yourself as an independent mind.”

— Ai Weiwei

20. “If a nation cannot face its past, it has no future.”

— Ai Weiwei

21. “If my art has nothing to do with people’s pain and sorrow, what is ‘art’ for?”

— Ai Weiwei

22. “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

23. “I think optimism is whether you are still exhilarated by life, whether you are curious, whether you still believe there is possibility.”

— Ai Weiwei

24. “I think my stance and my way of life is my most important art.”

— Ai Weiwei

25. “Being an artist is more of a mindset, a way of seeing things; it is no longer so much about producing something.”

— Ai Weiwei

26. “I don’t want the next generation to fight the same fight as I did.”

— Ai Weiwei

27. “As a human being, member of society, you must clearly state your mind. It’s a responsibility. It is the way you identify yourself otherwise you don’t know who you are and why you are here.”

— Ai Weiwei

28. “I want people to see their own power.”

— Ai Weiwei

29. “No outdoor sports can be more elegant than throwing stones at autocracy; no melees can be more exciting than those in cyberspace.”

— Ai Weiwei

30. “I think art is a very important weapon to achieve human freedom.”

— Ai Weiwei

31. “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

32. “Life is much more interesting when you make a little bit of effort.”

— Ai Weiwei

33. “The Internet is uncontrollable. And if the Internet is uncontrollable, freedom will win. It’s as simple as that.”

— Ai Weiwei

34. “The art always wins. Anything can happen to me, but the art will stay.”

— Ai Weiwei

35. “Self-censorship is insulting to the self. Timidity is a hopeless way forward.”

— Ai Weiwei

36. “Life is never guaranteed to be safe, so we better use it while we are still in good condition.”

— Ai Weiwei

37. “The American experience influenced my understanding of individuality, basic human rights, freedom of expression and the rights and responsibilities of citizens.”

— Ai Weiwei

38. “If you don’t act, the danger becomes stronger.”

— Ai Weiwei

39. “Art is always about overcoming obstacles between the inner condition and the skill for expression.”

— Ai Weiwei

40. “Say what you say plainly, and then take responsibility for it.”

— Ai Weiwei

41. “The practice of photography is no longer a means for recording reality. Instead, it has become reality itself.”

— Ai Weiwei

42. “Everyone wants an iPhone, but it would be impossible to design an iPhone in China because it’s not a product; it’s an understanding of human nature.”

— Ai Weiwei

43. “I wouldn’t say I’ve become more radical: I was born radical.”

— Ai Weiwei

44. “The Internet changes the structure of society all the time – this massiveness made of individuals.”

— Ai Weiwei

45. “I think it’s a responsibility for any artist to protect freedom of expression and to use any way to extend this power.”

— Ai Weiwei

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

— Ai Weiwei

47. “If artists cannot speak up for human dignity or rights, then who else will do it?”

— Ai Weiwei

48. “Whenever there is injustice, there is tension. But in China it is very hard to release your anger unless you burn yourself or you jump from a bridge. In a society where there is no freedom of the press, it is difficult for victims to be noticed.”

— Ai Weiwei

49. “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

50. “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