The Dragon's back
On the 40th anniversary of his untimely death, Bruce Lee finally gets the exhibition he deserves, at the Heritage Museum, writes Vanessa Yung
On the 40th anniversary of his untimely death, Bruce Lee finally gets the exhibition he deserves, at the Heritage Museum, writes Vanessa Yung.
Hong Kong's most famous son has returned, in spirit at least, in the form of an exhibition at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum. Scheduled to remain for five years, the 600 items will shed light on Lee's private and public lives for new and old fans alike.
The exhibition opened on July 20, the 40th anniversary of Lee's death in 1973, when he was just 32. It is one of the biggest collections of Bruce Lee artefacts ever assembled, and includes family memorabilia, personal effects, movie collectables and artworks by fans, including a 3.5-metre statue by sculptor Chu Tat-shing.
Silver Cheung Sai-wang, the exhibition's art director, says the venue is designed to reflect Lee's spirit, as well as to engage a younger audience. Cheung says he is a fan who imitated the star's kung fu poses when he was young. Cheung's tribute to the star is a series of videos at the entrance and exit.
The exhibition space is designed with nostalgia in mind, and will take visitors back in time while highlighting Lee's legacy. This is accomplished by using multimedia works, like animator Shannon Ma Fu-keung's 3-D animation of Lee demonstrating his martial arts skills.