I have just finished an inspirational book on Ai Wei Wei, based on discussions and interviews over 10 years with Hans Ulrich Obrist. It is called ‘Ai Wei Wei speaks with Hans Ulrich Obrist’. Ai Wei Wei was an early blogger in Chinese art circles, with many thousands of people reading his posts each day.
One point that resonated with me was Ai Wei Wei’s comment about what it is to be an artist. When he started as an artist in New York he did many odd jobs to survive, and didn’t actually produce much art. However he always knew he was an artist, and that being an artist is ” more about a lifestyle and attitude than producing some product…..more like an attitude, a way of looking at things”.
This is a fundamental point and a key reminder to me as I pursue my art practice.