Ai is also on the outs with Chinese artists who have opted to toe the government line. He that art can either 鈥渨ork to encourage individual strength, to encourage consciousness,鈥 or it can be 鈥減art of state power.鈥 鈥淭o glorify this kind of totalitarian society, I think is shameful,鈥 he said.
He called the 2008 Olympic games 鈥減ropaganda鈥 and , including directors Steven Spielberg and Zhang Yimou, of disregarding their responsibilities as artists.