#al

Since the global economic crisis began, the change in global attitudes is clear to see - and I think it is pitiful. Barack Obama came to China and he is probably the only president of the United States never to mention the words 'human rights' in public. ↗

— Ai Weiwei

#barack #barack obama #began #came #change

So maybe there are three parts in my life - earlier background living in exile in Xinjiang in a very political circumstance, then later the United States from 24 to 36 years old. I was quite equipped with liberal thinking. Then the Internet. If there is no Internet, of course, I cannot really exercise my opinion or my ideas. ↗

— Ai Weiwei

#cannot #circumstance #course #earlier #equipped

The 'Bird's Nest' National Stadium, which I helped to conceive, is designed to embody the Olympic spirit of 'fair competition.' It tells people that freedom is possible but needs fairness, courage and strength. ↗

— Ai Weiwei

#competition #conceive #courage #designed #embody

The Beijing Olympics and the Shanghai World Expo show just how much effort China is willing to spend to enter the global stage. But while China desires to understand the world, it fails to accept its universal values. ↗

— Ai Weiwei

#beijing #china #desires #effort #enter

The Chinese art world does not exist. 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

#art #art world #calls #chinese #create

The Olympic Games are highly commercialised. They purport to follow the traditions of an ancient athletics competition, but today it is the commercial aspect that is most apparent. I have seen how, through sport, cities and corporations compete against each other for financial gain. ↗

— Ai Weiwei

#ancient #apparent #aspect #athletics #cities

This nation is notorious for its ability to make or fake anything cheaply. 'Made-in-China' goods now fill homes around the world. But our giant country has a small problem. We can't manufacture the happiness of our people. ↗

— Ai Weiwei

#anything #around #cheaply #country #fake

I am definitely a storyteller, but probably not a traditional Storyteller. ↗

— James Welch

#definitely #i #i am #probably #storyteller

I really don't care what I look like as long as it fits with the thing I'm working on. ↗

— Michael Welch

#fits #i #like #long #look

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

#artist #central #china #essential #expression