For Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, there’s no separating art from activism. Across his career, from his photographic artwork including “Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn” to his outspoken criticism of censorship and authoritarianism, he has confronted power, pushed boundaries, and treated civic engagement as both a right and a responsibility. This quote, which, in full, begins with, “If there is no freedom of expression, then the beauty of life is lost,” also echoes the artist’s fight for freedom of speech and democratic values in the face of repression. For Ai Weiwei, being present and taking part in society, however imperfectly or unconventionally, is how we strengthen our human connections.