We Are Bruce Lee: Under the Sky, One Family | Mechanics' Institute

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We Are Bruce Lee: Under the Sky, One Family
a private tour of the exhibition at the Chinese Historical Society

This event continues our exploration of the National Endowment for the Arts Big Read book selection Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu.

Join us for a private tour of the We Are Bruce Lee: Under the Sky, One Family exhibit honoring San Francisco native Bruce Lee at the Chinese Historical Society. There you will experience contemporary art and historical artifacts that celebrate the remarkable life of Chinese American icon Bruce Lee who transcended race, geography, and culture through uncanny strength and resilience. Our tour will be led by renowned expert and collector of Bruce Lee's life and memorabilia Jeff Chinn. Your ticket includes the tour and entrance to the museum. After the tour you can enjoy the exhibit at your leisure.

Meet librarian Taryn Edwards outside the Chinese Historical Society, 965 Clay Street, Chinatown, San Francisco 94108 at 12:45 pm. Our tour starts at 1:00pm sharp.

 

About the exhibit from the CHS website:
Bruce Lee the VISIONARY knew he had a special message for the world, but he had to overcome racial and cultural stereotypes to achieve it. See original artwork and documents by Lee that showcase his tenacity and determination (L2021.4.038) and learn about his hunger for stardom and acceptance. See how Lee faced, and ultimately overcame the racism of Hollywood.

Bruce Lee the ATHLETE was famous around the world for his kung fu, did you know that Bruce Lee was also a champion Cha-Cha-Cha dancer, a skilled fencer, an acclaimed bodybuilder, a boxing and Judo practitioner, and a calisthenics fanatic? In this part of the exhibition view Bruce Lee’s personal weight bench and some of his dumbbells, read Lee’s personally typed out and hand signed workout routines, see his business cards from his time as a martial arts instructor and price out what it would cost to train with Lee himself on one of his rare coaching price sheets.

Bruce Lee the THINKER’s sayings continue to reverberate around the globe. Lee’s ongoing legacy as a philosopher is rooted in his voracious appetite to read. On display the view can read original writing by Lee in the form of a college essay he wrote by hand about Enlightenment philosopher René Descartes. Lee’s philosophy was radical in how it joined traditional Chinese philosophy with European Enlightenment philosophy in a new way that the general public had not seen before.

Bruce Lee was a UNIFIER. Many of the themes of Lee’s films dealt with fighting the oppressor. He was himself a mixed-race individual, and embraced all races and genders in his movies and in his martial arts classes. While he himself did not march in protests for civil rights, he did embrace concepts of social unity, and civil rights in his films.

Photo credit - National General Pictures, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

NEA Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.
El proyecto NEA Big Read es una iniciativa del National Endowment for the Arts (el Fondo Nacional para las Artes de Estados Unidos) en cooperación con Arts Midwest.

 

Activities

Admission: 
MI Members $15
Public $20
Register now ›
Location: 
Offsite: See description for location
Questions?
Information Desk - 415-393-0102
Register now by using the form below or calling 415-393-0101.
 

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