I think my stance and my way of life is my most important art.
Ai WeiweiRead
My definition of art has always been the same. It is about freedom of expression. I don’t think anybody can separate art from politics. The intention to separate [the two] is itself a very political intention.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Art is intrinsically linked to freedom of expression and is influenced by politics.
Ai Weiwei emphasizes that art is fundamentally a form of freedom of expression, one that cannot be divorced from the political context in which it exists. His assertion that attempts to separate art from politics are themselves politically motivated underlines the power dynamics inherent in artistic creation and its reception.
Themes
ArtFreedomExpressionPoliticsIntention
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech promoting local artists, I might say, 'As Ai Weiwei states, art is about freedom of expression and is inseparable from politics.'
More from Ai Weiwei
All quotes →Self-censorship is insulting to the self. Timidity is a hopeless way forward.
Ai WeiweiRead
If there is no free speech, every single life has lived in vain
Ai WeiweiRead
Art is always about overcoming obstacles between the inner condition and the skill for expression.
Ai WeiweiRead
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 WeiweiRead
I am very much interested in the so-called useless object. I mean, it takes perfect craftsmanship, beautiful material carefully measured and crafted, but at the same time it’s really useless.
Ai WeiweiRead
Similar quotes
It wasn't until I went to my first comic convention while I was in high school that I got to see actual comic book artists and original artwork in real life, up close. That was when I first realized that this is what I wanted to do for a living.
George PerezRead
I'm suspicious of the idea of categories in music and this idea of things being in boxes. To me, that seems unnatural. I write the music that somebody with my biography would write, and the thing that's always driven me is an enthusiasm for the material. I sort of follow the notes to where they want to go.
Max RichterRead
Art has a will of its own. It has nothing to do with the taste of the moment or what's expected of you. That's a formula for dead art, or fashionable art.
Helen FrankenthalerRead
If my books had been any worse, I should not have been invited to Hollywood, and if they had been any better, I should not have come.
Raymond ChandlerRead
There's no diploma in the world that declares you as an artist—it's not like becoming a doctor. You can declare yourself an artist and then figure out how to be an artist.
Kara WalkerRead
At the end of the day, 'Shuffle Along' is about people coming together and making something extraordinary - and history not necessarily being kind to them. It's about the love of necessarily being kind to them. It's about the love of doing, regardless of the consequences.
George C. WolfeRead