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Chinese American Museum Exhibit Honors Kung Fu Legend Bruce Lee, Who Died 50 Years Ago This Month
A Bruce Lee statue is the centerpiece of an exhibit put on by the Chinese American Museum timed to the 50th anniversary of the cultural icon's death.
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Frederic J. Brown
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AFP via Getty Images
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Topline:
Starting Saturday, a free weeklong exhibit in downtown L.A. will feature tribute art to Bruce Lee. The screen legend moved to L.A. during the 1960s and taught martial arts and acted here. The exhibit is timed to the anniversary of Lee's death in Hong Kong on July 20, 1973 at the age of 32.
The exhibit: The show put on by the Chinese American Museum features several dozen works by Hong Kong-based sculptor Chu Tat Shing. The centerpiece is Chu's sculpture of Lee in his signature side-kick pose. A larger version has been on display at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum since 2013.
Why L.A.: A self-described Lee fan, Chu said he collaborated with the museum to bring his exhibit to the city because of its large Asian American population and Lee's ties to Hollywood. Lee acted in The Green Hornet TV series and trained celebrities such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Students flocked to the studio Lee opened on College Street in Chinatown.
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Where to see the exhibit: The Bruce Lee sculpture and other other Chu works will be on display at the Pico House at El Pueblo de Los Angeles from July 15 to 23. (The museum is closed July 17.) Scheduled events include live sculpting demos by Chu. For more information, visit here.
The other Bruce Lee statue in L.A.: A bronze statue of Lee stands in Chinatown’s Central Plaza. It was unveiled in 2013 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Lee's death.
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