Ai is also on the outs with Chinese artists who have opted to toe the government line. He told the Financial Times that art can either “work to encourage individual strength, to encourage consciousness,” or it can be “part of state power.” “To glorify this kind of totalitarian society, I think is shameful,” he said.
He called the 2008 Olympic games “propaganda” and accused the artists involved in the opening ceremony, including directors Steven Spielberg and Zhang Yimou, of disregarding their responsibilities as artists.
