Artist Ai Weiwei has issued a strong warning against correcting children’s painting and drawing. In an interview with the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung”, he stated that any advice given to a child once they are in the process is already fundamentally incorrect. His reasoning is that art, by its very nature, contains no errors. He argues, “Why do people think that way? The wrong stroke is precisely the moment in which a mistake transforms into art. Every piece of art begins with a mistake; otherwise, it is mere decoration, not art.”
He vehemently objected to the correction of children’s creations, claiming that attempts to alter their work effectively destroy their ability to make genuine artistic pieces. “They try to destroy your children’s capacity for true art. They tell the child to make it better, and that is wrong. This entire approach to education is flawed,” Ai Weiwei declared.
Rejecting the desire in children to make a drawing perfectly according to a template, the artist remarked that this behavior is a trait of “German thinking.” He gave the example that if a child attempts to draw Mickey Mouse, the result being “Ai Weiwei” is superior to making a technically accurate character. Children should not be confined to reproducing recognized images, as “anyone can draw Mickey Mouse.”
The 69-year-old questioned the validity of pursuing strict intentions when engaging in art. Yet, he noted that children are constantly taught to avoid “mistakes” to achieve something “better.” He critiques this teaching, saying, “As if one could know beforehand what is better and what is not. By doing this, one is already training self-censorship.”
When asked if he has ever created art with his son, Ai Weiwei replied that no one in the world can create art together. Instead, a person can sit beside a child and observe what they are doing. He added that his son operates at a much higher level than himself, and he can only admire him for his unique differences.
