‘The West should be ashamed’: Ai Weiwei on art, politics and human rights | Real Talk

“An artist that isn’t an activist is a dead artist.”
He’s viewed as one of today’s most influential contemporary artists. And in this interview, Ai Weiwei, the Chinese artist, activist and dissident, gets personal on Real Talk.
Weiwei speaks on why he believes that art should be political, his childhood in China, and why the West ‘should be ashamed’ of the global refugee crisis.
FILMED: 6 July 2023
#RealTalk is a Middle East Eye interview show hosted by Mohamed Hashem that delves into the stories and experiences of a diverse range of guests.
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[@roxannamarinak3156]

Thank you Wei Wei for speaking out! I am ashamed of our Us Government! And the Genocide that is it is complicit with doing

[@kdg5190]

Free Palastine

[@Mahmud-Layth-Tariq-Al-Khafaji]

Respect!

[@nksarwath]

Unfortunately the West has no shame

[@johnmeissner8715]

Apparently, the East also has no shame

[@amalabdallah8481]

Or moral

[@nurlindafsihotang49]

"art is a mirror"

[@IOSARBX]

Middle East Eye, Your videos always make me happy, so I subscribed!

[@walan31]

I respect this man. He got a shows or 2 cancelled because he spoke against the genocide in Gaza.

[@welcometosemeticpalestine]

Wow. "Through your enemies eyes, you see your power".

[@paulsingletoniii]

Even though the interviewer wasn't asking the best questions, Ai Weiwei responded with profound wisdom.

[@keyser021]

When a pawn wakes up and realizes his handlers were frauds all along.

[@kapk]

Not sure his awakening went so far.

[@rajibhossin8180]

And us uk are dehumanizing Chinese people government and it never gets old

[@johnmeissner8715]

Be specific. Are you including me just because I was born and reside geographically in the US?

[@rajibhossin8180]

@@johnmeissner8715na and yes in the end Every soul will be asked what they did

[@jjman111188]

​@rajibhossin8180 you're not from any country within the UK with your broken ass English 😂

[@fontainerouge]

So rare, this stature. Inventivity, depth, and a moral compas.

[@genevievemariaforde1477]

Thank you Ai Wei Wei! Champion mate! Thank you also Mohamed Hashem and Middle East Eye for this interview! Best wishes all - Genevieve Forde Aotearoa Planet Earth

[@DearProfessorRF]

This is true now, as it has been forever in human history. Those artists who say they don’t involve themselves in politics are dead wrong. Politics influence the arts and the arts influence politics. The art is not only for performative functions or just entertainment. Performance and entertainment are fine, but the arts are not limited to them. It would be a great waste if it would.

[@Lynnianaa]

Thank you, ME. This was a wonderful interview and love WeiWei's perspectives.

[@allyngharbi641]

So sorry so so true

[@punapeter]

My 20's and 30's were WILD TIMES. I agree with him about if you can't control your own weight you have little control of your life.

[@pauljung3534]

“Practice sharing the fullness of your being, your best self, your enthusiasm, your vitality, your spirit, your trust, your openness, above all, your presence. Share it with yourself, with your family, with the world." ~ Jon Kabat-Zinn "The story tells us that living the life of an artist is not as useful as living our lives as a work of art." ~ Martin Prechtel

[@pauljung3534]

"Greed - a portentous pig's appetite - for beyond what sufficiently fills one's trough." "The health of human society depends on the health of its individuals. But when individuals act individually, the cascade of compromised individual health & societal health never ends... " "The absence of nurture and nature, is behind the absence of conscience and empathy, which is fueling humanity's current demise." "In taking care of each other, we affirm our human nature, our collective strength and wholeness, our societal and ecological stewardship, our future. This is our soul.. our sole raison d'etre." "It is the heart & touch behind our transactions, that defines value, and a measure beyond any currency." "I cannot lie.. that I'm a capitalist at heart. If I'm going to sell you something, I am going to sell you on yourself. As my self is your self, I cannot lie." "Life - an unlimited opportunity - for truth of oneself, and everything else. A treasure, such as it is." "Real prosperity.. is to liberate our senses -- to what's true, to what's essential, to what's at stake, to what's at heart." "Conflict, climate change, consumption, corruption, complacency, ... Times are difficult, but not dire - if we become different, this time, for good - for generations, to admire." ~ Paul Jung

[@klam77]

Forward to Dwayne Booth

[@KarimKarim-ff7el]

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@carolinebjerkelund767]

Blaming other people for their own actions.

[@chiladin708]

No the West should not be ashamed because there are people like me in the west who are donating money and people out here marching protesting working with politicians to try to get things done so Israel can end this population and we can see a two-state solution so no I don't feel ashamed as an African-American I empathize with what the people in Palestine are going through because it's been a story that my answer is gone through in America for hundreds of years so free Palestine

[@WarrenPeaceOG]

Western LEADERs should be ashamed. They do not follow the will of their people. They represent the interests of weapons manufacturers and oil companies. But Ai Weiwei has been making art about the refugee crisis for a number of years, and I'm pretty sure that's what they are talking about. For example, his Refugee Life Jacket installation dates from 2017. Participating in a 21st century genocide is a whole new level of shame. This is when I realize that I, as a critic of the Western imperialism - "You're anti-West!" - that I'm the only one who cares about Western values, like life, liberty, democracy, human rights, international law, etc. Our leaders seem happy to destroy any legitimacy our govts or the West ever had, to make a quick buck off the mass slaughter of children. They underestimate their own people and the world. If the criticism is fascism and genocide are the heart and soul of the West - look at the precedents - I'd always considered the Nazis to be outliers. Zionism is disabusing me of that misapprehension

[@welcometosemeticpalestine]

Thank you. One State is the only solution. Its like saying you support Native Americans having sovereignty. Its impossible due to separation of Natives from one another and 2) theft of resources within those territories.

[@chiladin708]

@welcometosemeticpalestine The issue is many people in Israel want either a One or Two-State solution but BiBi and Likud does not. Once he's out of the way and Israel elects a moderate or Liberal...the two sides can talk about real peace. But Netanyahu is bad for Israel the same way Hamas is bad for Gaza. But the true blame for this madness is the UK...Britain started this madness with the Balfour Declaration and since most Ashkenazi Jews are white and comes from Europeans countries, who had been warring for over 1000 years and dividing up terrority, the Jews who were already living in Palestine never thought to create a State...they could've created a State hundreds of years ago...but thier society didn't operate on borders like Europe. So fuck the 🇬🇧 UK

[@user-oe5jl2br6u]

He changes his tune when he realizes that his homeland is righteous, getting stronger by the day and gaining tremendous influence in the world. He regrets attacking his own country and now want to be seen as not so pro west. Typical opportunistic para site …😂😂😂

[@user-ez1lq2hn9v]

انَا اختكمَ مَن اليمَن وّالَلَه ماتكلمتَ الَا من جوّع وًّمَنَ ضَيَقَ الَحَالَ انَا وًّامَيَ وًّخَوًّاتَيَ تَشَرَدَنَا مَنَ بَيَوًّتَنَا بَسَبَبَ الَحَرَبَ نَحَنَ فَيَ حَالَهَ لَايَعَلَمَ بَهَا الَا الَلَهَ حَسَبَنَا الَلَهَ وًّنَعَمَ الَوكيَلَ فَيَ مَنَ اوًّصَلَنَا الَى هَاذا الَحَالَ 💔💔وًّالَلَهَ الَعَظَيَمَ مَا كتَبَتَ هَذا الَمَنَاشَدَهَ غَيَرَ مَنَ الَضَيَقَ وّالَفَقَر يَاعَالَمَ حَسَوّا فَيَنَا ارَجَوّكمَ وّالَلَهَ الَعَظَيَمَ رَبَ الَعَرَشَ الَعَظَيَمَ انَه الَاكلَ مَا فَيَ عَنَدَيَ بَالَبَيَتَ وًّالَلَهَ يَا اخَوّانَيَ انَهَ خَوًّاتيَ بَقَعَدَوًّ بَالَيَوًّمَيَنَ مَافَى اكلَ وًّالَلَهَ وًّضَعَنَا كثَيَرَ صَعَبَ نَحَنَ 6 نَفَرَ دَاخَلَ الَبَيَتَ وًّابَيَ مَتَوًّفَيَ وًّلَا يَوًّجَدَ مَنَ يَعَوًّلَ عَلَيَنَا وًّسَاكنَيَنَ فَيَ بَيَتَ اجَارَ لَانَسَتَطَيَعَ دَفَعَ الَاجَارَ الَلَيَ بَاقَيَ عَلَيَنَا ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' اخي اول كلامي انا اقسم بالله على كتاب الله اني لااكذب عليك ولا انصب ولا احتال اني بنت يمنيه نازحين من الحرب انا واسرتي بيننا ایت الشهرب 15 الف يمني والان علينا 45 الف حق 3 شهور وصاحب البيت من الناس الي ماترحم والله يا اخي انه يجي كل يوم يبهدلنا ويتكلم علينا ويريد من البيت للشارع لانناماقدرنا ندفعله الأجار شافونا الجيران نبكي ورجعو تكلمو الجيران ومهلنالاخره الأسبوع معادفعنا له حلف يمين بالله هذا بيخرجنا إلى الشارع رحمه واحنا. بلادنا بسبب هذا الحرب ولانجد قوت يومنا وعايشين اناوامي وخواتي سفار والدنا متوفي الله يرحمه ومامعنا أحد في هذا الدنيا جاانبنا في هذه الظروف القاسيه اخوتي الصغار خرجو للشارع وشافو الجيران ياكلو واوقفو عند بابهم لجل يعطوهم ولو كسره خبز والله الذي له ملك السموات والارض انهم غلفو الباب وطردوهم ورجعو یبکو ایموتو من الجوع ما احد رحمهم وعطلة ردها لقمت عیش والان لوما احدنا ساعدنا في إيكيلو دقيق اقسم بالله انموت من الجوع فيا اخي انا دخيله على الله ثم عليك واريد منك المساعده لوجه الله انشدك بالله تحب الخير واتساعدني تراسلي واتساب على هذا الرقم 00967717415667 وتطلب اسم بطاقتي وترسلي ولاتتاخر وايعوضك الله بكل خير ساعدنا وأنقذنا قبل أن يطردونا في الشارع تتبهدل أو نموت من الجوع وانا واسرتي نسالك بالله لولك مقدره على مساعد لاتتاخر علينا وجزاك الله خيرا،.،.،:^:؛^:🎉°~°~^~°^π√^π√~π~√~√~π^~^~π~π~√√~~ππ~π√~~^^°^°€€لب🎉🎉❤❤🎉.......،......❤

[@punapeter]

So if this old man was born in 57' how can he be younger than I? People sure do age differently. Hey ME get your interviewer wind socks for the mics and get the cameraperson a tri-pod. Poor Video.

[@johnmeissner8715]

Is this the standard pot calling the kettle black? Look within before you cast aspersions.

[@janetcox4873]

Activist art is dead art, .....

[@johnmeissner8715]

The East should be ashamed as well.

[@johnsmith1474]

Overproduced. Weak interviewer.

[@user-zi8qe6tf9f]

انَا اختكمَ مَن اليمَن وّالَلَه ماتكلمتَ الَا من جوّع وًّمَنَ ضَيَقَ الَحَالَ انَا وًّامَيَ وًّاخَوًّتَيَ تَشَرَدَنَا مَنَ بَيَوًّتَنَا بَسَبَبَ الَحَرَبَ نَحَنَ فَيَ حَالَهَ لَايَعَلَمَ بَهَا الَا الَلَهَ حَسَبَنَا الَلَهَ وًّنَعَمَ الَوكيَلَ فَيَ مَنَ اوًّصَلَنَا الَى هَاذا الَحَالَ 💔💔وًّالَلَهَ الَعَظَيَمَ مَا كتَبَتَ هَذا الَمَنَاشَدَهَ غَيَرَ مَنَ الَضَيَقَ وّالَفَقَر يَاعَالَمَ حَسَوّا فَيَنَا ارَجَوّكمَ وّالَلَهَ الَعَظَيَمَ رَبَ الَعَرَشَ الَعَظَيَمَ انَه الَاكلَ مَا فَيَ عَنَدَيَ بَالَبَيَتَ وًّالَلَهَ يَا اخَوّانَيَ انَهَ اخَوًّنَيَ بَقَعَدَوًّ بَالَيَوًّمَيَنَ مَافَى اكلَ وًّالَلَهَ وًّضَعَنَا كثَيَرَ صَعَبَ نَحَنَ 4 نَفَرَ دَاخَلَ الَبَيَتَ وًّابَيَ مَتَوًّفَيَ وًّلَا يَوًّجَدَ مَنَ يَعَوًّلَ عَلَيَنَا وًّسَاكنَيَنَ فَيَ بَيَتَ اجَارَ لَانَسَتَطَيَعَ دَفَعَ الَاجَارَ الَلَيَ بَاقَيَ عَلَيَنَا ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' اخي اول كلامي انا اقسم بالله على كتاب الله اني لااكذب عليك ولا انصب ولا احتال اني بنت يمنيه نازحين من الحرب انا واسرتي بيننا ایت الشهرب 14 الف يمني والان علينا 42 الف حق 3 شهور وصاحب البيت من الناس الي ماترحم والله يا اخي انه يجي كل يوم يبهدلنا ويتكلم علينا ويريد من البيت للشارع لانناماقدرنا ندفعله الأجار شافونا الجيران نبكي ورجعو تكلمو الجيران ومهلنالاخره الأسبوع معادفعنا له حلف يمين بالله هذا بيخرجنا إلى الشارع رحمه واحنا. بلادنا بسبب هذا الحرب ولانجد قوت يومنا وعايشين اناوامي واخوتي سفار والدنا متوفي الله يرحمه ومامعنا أحد في هذا الدنيا جاانبنا في هذه الظروف القاسيه اخوتي الصغار خرجو للشارع وشافو الجيران ياكلو واوقفو عند بابهم لجل يعطوهم ولو كسره خبز والله الذي له ملك السموات والارض انهم غلفو الباب وطردوهم ورجعو یبکو ایموتو من الجوع ما احد رحمهم وعطلة ردها لقمت عیش والان لوما احدنا ساعدنا في إيكيلو دقيق اقسم بالله انموت من الجوع فيا اخي انا دخيله على الله ثم عليك واريد منك المساعده لوجه الله انشدك بالله تحب الخير واتساعدني ولو ب 500 ريال يمني مع تراسلي واتساب على هذا الرقم 00967717354582 وتطلب اسم بطاقتي وترسلي ولاتتاخر وايعوضك الله بكل خير اخواني سغار شوف كيف حالتهم وساعدنا وأنقذنا قبل أن يطردونا في الشارع تتبهدل أو نموت من الجوع وانا واسرتي نسالك بالله لولك مقدره على مساعد لاتتاخر علينا وجزاك الله خيرا،.،.،:^:؛^:🎉°~°~^~°^π√^π√~π~√~√~π^~^~π~π~√√~~ππ~π√~~^^°^°€€لب🎉😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢

[@user-ez1lq2hn9v]

انَا اختكمَ مَن اليمَن وّالَلَه ماتكلمتَ الَا من جوّع وًّمَنَ ضَيَقَ الَحَالَ انَا وًّامَيَ وًّخَوًّاتَيَ تَشَرَدَنَا مَنَ بَيَوًّتَنَا بَسَبَبَ الَحَرَبَ نَحَنَ فَيَ حَالَهَ لَايَعَلَمَ بَهَا الَا الَلَهَ حَسَبَنَا الَلَهَ وًّنَعَمَ الَوكيَلَ فَيَ مَنَ اوًّصَلَنَا الَى هَاذا الَحَالَ 💔💔وًّالَلَهَ الَعَظَيَمَ مَا كتَبَتَ هَذا الَمَنَاشَدَهَ غَيَرَ مَنَ الَضَيَقَ وّالَفَقَر يَاعَالَمَ حَسَوّا فَيَنَا ارَجَوّكمَ وّالَلَهَ الَعَظَيَمَ رَبَ الَعَرَشَ الَعَظَيَمَ انَه الَاكلَ مَا فَيَ عَنَدَيَ بَالَبَيَتَ وًّالَلَهَ يَا اخَوّانَيَ انَهَ خَوًّاتيَ بَقَعَدَوًّ بَالَيَوًّمَيَنَ مَافَى اكلَ وًّالَلَهَ وًّضَعَنَا كثَيَرَ صَعَبَ نَحَنَ 6 نَفَرَ دَاخَلَ الَبَيَتَ وًّابَيَ مَتَوًّفَيَ وًّلَا يَوًّجَدَ مَنَ يَعَوًّلَ عَلَيَنَا وًّسَاكنَيَنَ فَيَ بَيَتَ اجَارَ لَانَسَتَطَيَعَ دَفَعَ الَاجَارَ الَلَيَ بَاقَيَ عَلَيَنَا ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' اخي اول كلامي انا اقسم بالله على كتاب الله اني لااكذب عليك ولا انصب ولا احتال اني بنت يمنيه نازحين من الحرب انا واسرتي بيننا ایت الشهرب 15 الف يمني والان علينا 45 الف حق 3 شهور وصاحب البيت من الناس الي ماترحم والله يا اخي انه يجي كل يوم يبهدلنا ويتكلم علينا ويريد من البيت للشارع لانناماقدرنا ندفعله الأجار شافونا الجيران نبكي ورجعو تكلمو الجيران ومهلنالاخره الأسبوع معادفعنا له حلف يمين بالله هذا بيخرجنا إلى الشارع رحمه واحنا. بلادنا بسبب هذا الحرب ولانجد قوت يومنا وعايشين اناوامي وخواتي سفار والدنا متوفي الله يرحمه ومامعنا أحد في هذا الدنيا جاانبنا في هذه الظروف القاسيه اخوتي الصغار خرجو للشارع وشافو الجيران ياكلو واوقفو عند بابهم لجل يعطوهم ولو كسره خبز والله الذي له ملك السموات والارض انهم غلفو الباب وطردوهم ورجعو یبکو ایموتو من الجوع ما احد رحمهم وعطلة ردها لقمت عیش والان لوما احدنا ساعدنا في إيكيلو دقيق اقسم بالله انموت من الجوع فيا اخي انا دخيله على الله ثم عليك واريد منك المساعده لوجه الله انشدك بالله تحب الخير واتساعدني تراسلي واتساب على هذا الرقم 00967717415667 وتطلب اسم بطاقتي وترسلي ولاتتاخر وايعوضك الله بكل خير ساعدنا وأنقذنا قبل أن يطردونا في الشارع تتبهدل أو نموت من الجوع وانا واسرتي نسالك بالله لولك مقدره على مساعد لاتتاخر علينا وجزاك الله خيرا،.،.،:^:؛^:🎉°~°~^~°^π√^π√~π~√~√~π^~^~π~π~√√~~ππ~π√~~^^°^°€€لب🎉🎉❤❤🎉.......،.......