Of course, people will call you an old artist or young artist, which is just a character of you. But personally, I don't think my work and my understanding of art is so much related to being Chinese, but the character of that. Maybe it's beyond my own consciousness.

Once you've tasted freedom, it stays in your heart...

The relationship between the Chinese government and me is like a Cold War.

At the moment about 350,000 students return to China from abroad each year - 350,000 young and educated people. I know about them because they know me and often ask me in the street if they can take a selfie with me. These folks are creative and ironic, and the government can ultimately not control what is going on in their heads.

The tragic reality of today is reflected in the true plight of our spiritual existence. We are spineless and cannot stand straight.

This world should be much more open and should be much more free, so the young people would have the chance to exercise the quality of their lives.

Whenever there is injustice, there is tension. But in China it is very hard to release your anger unless you burn yourself or you jump from a bridge. In a society where there is no freedom of the press, it is difficult for victims to be noticed.