We are living in a very complex society. It puts me in a complex frame of thinking.
Because of the economic crisis, China and the United States are bound together. This is a totally new phenomenon, and nobody will fight for ideology anymore. It’s all about business.
China and the U.S. are two societies with very different attitudes towards opinion and criticism. In China, I am constantly under surveillance. Even my slightest, most innocuous move can – and often is – censored by Chinese authorities.
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.
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.
A nation that has no music and no fairytales is a tragedy.
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.
The seed is a household object but at the same time it is a revolutionary symbol.
I call on people to be ‘obsessed citizens,’ forever questioning and asking for accountability. That’s the only chance we have today of a healthy and happy life.
The American experience influenced my understanding of individuality, basic human rights, freedom of expression and the rights and responsibilities of citizens.
If my art has nothing to do with people’s pain and sorrow, what is ‘art’ for?
Now the British are coming. I think Cameron should ask the Chinese government not to make people ‘disappear’ or to jail them merely because they have different opinions.