5001 quotes by artists for you to enjoy

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

Nature Impossible Understanding Human Nature Design Everyone Would Would-Be Because iPhone Human Wants China Product

I'm most embarrassed at my art shows, even though I don't show it. Ai Weiwei

Art Though Embarrassed Most Show Even Shows

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

World Values Stage Spend Enter Willing Shanghai Fails Global Accept Understand How How Much Effort Just Beijing While China Much Show Universal Desires Olympics

Recently I danced in a video spoof of the song 'Gangnam Style,' and it was quickly banned across multiple Chinese online video platforms. But the story still traveled all over the world, carried in hundreds of international media reports. Ai Weiwei

Song World Style Danced Hundreds Carried Online Over Spoof Still Quickly Reports Banned Story Chinese Video Across International Multiple Platforms Traveled Media Recently

I don't think it's worth discussing new directions in the context of Chinese art - there were no old directions, either. Chinese art has never had any clear orientation. Ai Weiwei

Art Worth Old Think Directions Never Had Clear New Context Were Discussing Any Either Chinese Orientation

A nation that has no music and no fairytales is a tragedy. Ai Weiwei

Music Nation Tragedy

I don't believe in the so-called Olympic spirit. I speak from personal experience. When China hosted the Games, it failed to include the people. The event was constructed without regard for their joy. Ai Weiwei

Experience People Joy Speak Believe Spirit Constructed Failed Without Personal Personal Experience So-Called Regard China Games Include Event Olympic

I see the Beijing National Stadium as an architectural project. I accepted Herzog and De Meuron's invitation to collaborate on the design, and our proposal won the competition. From beginning to end, I stayed with the project. I am committed to fostering relationships between a city and its architecture. Ai Weiwei

Architecture Competition National Beginning Design Relationships Our Collaborate Project City See Stayed Architectural Proposal Between Invitation Accepted Am End Won Committed Stadium Beijing Fostering

People are always wondering if I am an artist or political activist or politician. Maybe I'll just clearly tell you: Whatever I do is not art. Let's say it is just objects or materials, movies or writing, but not art, OK? Ai Weiwei

I'm always followed by two or three cars and have police around. Even walking in the park, you see them taking photos behind the bushes and trying to videotape everything. Ai Weiwei

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

Democracy Be Happy Rights Happy People World Sometimes Sacrifice Say Criticise See About Something More Only Tendency Countries Like Most Looks Because West Very Efficient Authoritarian Short-Sighted China Should Even

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

Economic Crisis Change Rights Words Human Rights Think President States Crisis Obama See Only Economic Mention Never He Clear Since Attitudes Global Came Began Human Pitiful China Barack Barack Obama Public United United States

The seed is a household object but at the same time it is a revolutionary symbol. Ai Weiwei

Time Seed Object Household Revolutionary Same Same Time Symbol

A number of years ago, when I had an exhibition of my work, the people in charge who came to pick up my manuscripts saw them piled up haphazardly in the garage and were shocked. 'What? They'll grow mold like this!' they said. People who do things properly apparently make a dedicated manuscript room, where they can control humidity. Akira Toriyama

Work People Control Saw Charge Properly Had Pick Like Make Piled Said Came Exhibition Were Years Years Ago Up Shocked Where Room Them Mold Dedicated Who Apparently Manuscript Manuscripts Garage Grow Things Number Humidity

I think it's best to know about lots of different things besides comics. I don't think you can become a cartoonist if you look at nothing but cartoons. Akira Toriyama

Best You Become Nothing Think Besides Cartoonist Cartoons About Know Look Comics Lots Different Different Things Things

When I draw, I always recall my mindset when I was a child. Akira Toriyama

Mindset Draw Always Child Recall

I'm not good at doing the same thing over and over again. Akira Toriyama

Good Same Thing Over Doing Same Again Thing

If you want to depict something exactly the way it is, it takes a tremendous amount of time. If you don't get the details right, the inaccuracies will accumulate somewhere. Akira Toriyama

Time You Will Somewhere Tremendous Tremendous Amount Way Details Exactly Exactly The Way Something Takes Accumulate Get Depict Want Right Amount

At one point, I had close to 100 birds. Akira Toriyama

Birds Point Had Close

I wanted to change up the tempo and setting of my comics in the sense of giving them some variety, for one thing. So where, for 'Slump,' the art was very America-esque, in the case of 'Dragon Ball,' I made it as Chinese as could be. Akira Toriyama

I'm flying by the seat of my pants, never creating with a thought to what's up ahead! Akira Toriyama

Thought Pants Flying Never Up Creating Seat

In spite of being so absorbed in comics when I was in primary school, for whatever reason, I stopped reading them that much once I started junior high. I think it's probably because I got caught up in movies and TV. Akira Toriyama

School Reading Whatever Think Once TV High Spite Absorb Primary Primary School Because Got Caught Comics Up Junior Junior High Stopped Being Movies Them Much Reason Started

Quotes by Artists