Ai Weiwei

My father was a poet. So I grew up in exile, in a very remote area, where I didn't see any other children for five years. I was in the desert. My father was a political prisoner. So for me, freedom is not a given. It's something you have to fight for.

I’m not a hero. I’m a normal person. I’m just trying to make sense of my life and the society I live in.

The internet is a public space. It's a space for individuals to express themselves, to communicate, to share information. It's a space for people to create their own history.

My work is always related to my personal conditions. It's about how I see the world, how I understand the world, and how I struggle with the world.

I think the most significant thing is we should never forget that we are human beings. We have our own dignity. We have our own rights. We have our own freedom to express ourselves.

I always say that I'm not an artist. I'm a chess player. I play with the system. I play with the power.

Without freedom of speech, there is no modern society, just a barbaric one.

The government is trying to control everything. They try to control your mind, your thought, your information. They try to control your emotions.

I don't think art is about making beautiful things. Art is about making a statement, about challenging the status quo, about changing the world.

I believe that every single individual should have the right to express themselves, to think, to question, to challenge.

My art is not about making money. My art is about making a difference.

If I don't speak out, who will? If I don't stand up, who will?

The internet is a weapon. It's a weapon for freedom, for truth, for justice.

I think the most important thing for an artist is to be honest, to be true to himself, to be true to his feelings.

My life is a constant struggle for freedom, for dignity, for human rights.

I'm not interested in art that is just for art's sake. I'm interested in art that has a social impact, that can change society.

The world is full of contradictions. My art is about exposing those contradictions.

I think the internet is the most powerful tool for human beings to communicate, to share information, to express themselves.

My art is always about questioning, about challenging, about looking at things from a different perspective.

I believe that every individual has the right to live with dignity, to be treated with respect, to have their voice heard.