by JR Valrey, Minister of Information, SF Bay View Oakland Bureau
“We Are Bruce Lee: Under the Sky, One Family” is a visual art exhibition coming to Chinatown that celebrates the life of the legendary Bay native, philosopher, movie star and martial artist Bruce Lee. Most striking is the exhibition’s celebration of his connection with the Black community.
Growing up in the ‘80s and ‘90s, Bruce Lee transcended race; not once did we, as Black youth, think of Bruce Lee as different. Very few people are able to pass this societal psychological pinnacle in a racist society, but when they do, they deserve to be immortalized for it, especially when their message serves the interest of bringing humanity closer.
Jane Chin is the volunteer project lead on the “We Are Bruce Lee: Under the Sky, One Family” exhibit, which can be seen in Chinatown at the Chinese Historical Society of America, on April 24, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Please check out Jane Chin in her own words.
JR Valrey: When and why was this Bruce Lee mural created in San Francisco Chinatown? Can you talk a little bit about the upcoming exhibition?
Jane Chin: In mid-2021 the highly esteemed mural artists, Twin Walls, was commissioned by the Chinese Historical Society of America (CHSA) to conceptualize, develop and create a mural piece that would complement the “We Are Bruce Lee: Under the Sky, One Family” exhibition then being curated by a team of volunteers, formed to tell the story of San Francisco’s native son.
Twin Walls is composed of the incredibly talented Asian women artists, Elaine Chu and Marina Perez-Wong, whose work has been featured near and far, including SFMOMA. As Asians with roots in the SF Bay Area, they understand what it means to personally navigate life as a bridge, whether it’s about crossing cultures, communities, careers – the list goes on.
“We Are Bruce Lee” is a timely telling of the story about challenging traditions and seizing opportunities. Visitors will learn about his development from a visionary to a pioneering entrepreneur and his immortal influence on future generations. The exhibition will feature an exploration of the boundaries of culture, creativity and fame through the lens of the legendary actor and martial artist.
Bruce Lee’s fight against discrimination and his profound engagement in a multicultural society were almost unheard of in his time, and offer lessons that are still relevant today, particularly as people around the world are pushing back against xenophobic policies, racism and social injustice.
JR Valrey: What does Bruce Lee mean to martial arts?
Jane Chin: Bruce Lee single handedly popularized martial arts to the world. He developed his own unique brand of martial arts, called Jeet Kune Do, which emphasized not one style, but rather the improvisation of different techniques – including kung fu, boxing and fencing – to best suit the opponent and situation. Today, we see his vision play out in mixed martial arts, a multi-billion dollar global industry.
JR Valrey: Can you talk a little bit about how you feel about Bruce Lee’s philosophical teachings?
Jane Chin: When I think about Bruce Lee, I see more than a handsome face: in researching for the exhibit I became deeply acquainted with his inner qualities – resilience, creativity, vision, self-improvement – that made him extraordinary. “Be Water” is my motto – being fluid is the guiding principle to learning, accepting and understanding. This world would be a calmer place if we all practiced “Be Water.”
JR Valrey: At the meeting that was recently held where Shannon Lee, Bruce Lee’s daughter, came to see the mural, there were a number of prominent young locally-based Black people there as well as their Asian counterparts. What do Black people have to do with the legacy of Bruce Lee?
Jane Chin: Bruce Lee’s fight against discrimination and his profound engagement in a multicultural society were almost unheard of in his time, and offers lessons that are still relevant today, particularly as people around the world are pushing back against xenophobic policies, racism and social injustice. He was not afraid to cross the cultural divide to teach martial arts to non-Asians interested in learning. An example, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bruce Lee enjoyed a meaningful friendship beyond martial arts.
“We Are Bruce Lee: Under the Sky, One Family” is intended to bridge our San Francisco communities in San Francisco Chinatown and the Western Addition. As cultural communities, we have more in common than we realize, and by working together to gain better understanding of our similarities, as well as our differences, we will be stronger.
JR Valrey: Can you talk a little bit about how Bruce Lee was born in the Bay Area and later returned to live in the Bay Area, and what that meant to him?
Jane Chin: Although Bruce Lee was born in San Francisco Chinatown, he spent very little time in the community before his parents moved the family back to Hong Kong. As a young adult he was sent to attend college in Seattle at the University of Washington, but not long after and being the restless sort, he made his way to the Bay Area. He opened a kung fu studio in Oakland, and this became a place where he forged bonds with other martial artists to continue to hone his craft.
JR Valrey: Who are some of the artists featured in this upcoming exhibition?
Jane Chin: Other than the Twin Walls mural which includes a collaboration with MacroWaves, Mike and Dee, all other artists are in final negotiation so I cannot elaborate.
JR Valrey: What role did you play in getting the mural created as well as in the exhibition?
Jane Chin: CHSA is fortunate to be in a building designed by Julia Morgan to serve as a YWCA. In its conversion from YWCA to serve as a museum, galleries were created throughout the main floor including an elevated stage area that is called the Yick Gallery. The exhibit team saw the Yick Gallery’s prominent space as ideal to feature an immersive experience that captures the essence of Bruce Lee – and how better to do that than through a mural that walks through his life.
We were then introduced to Twin Walls by Melonie and Melorra Green who are the exhibit’s early advisors. From our first chat with Elaine and Marina we knew we had found muralists who could tell a rightful story.
I am blessed to be the exhibition’s volunteer project lead. That basically means I was responsible for spearheading the development and curation of the exhibit including:
- Fundraising.
- Recruiting and directing an exhibition team that included writer, curator, designer, exhibit director and marketing manager.
- Serving as the primary liaison with the Bruce Lee Foundation.
I’m so fortunate to have been supported by an extremely talented and dedicated team. Our exhibit is the culmination of a collaborative effort and I’m only as good as the team. The exhibition’s design and narrative has been handed over to CHSA’s operation team to install in the main gallery as we continue to work with the various artists to complete their interpretive pieces in a section we are calling “Bruce Lee Underground.”
JR Valrey: When and where is the exhibition? Is it open to the public?
Jane Chin: The exhibit opens on April 23 for CHSA members and invited guests. It opens to the public April 24, 2022, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. For tickets, go to chsa.org.
The exhibit is located at the Chinese Historical Society of America, 965 Clay Street, between Powell and Stockton Streets in San Francisco, Calif.
JR Valrey, journalist, author, filmmaker and founder of Black New World Media, heads the SF Bay View’s Oakland Bureau. He can be reached at blockreportradio@gmail.com or on Facebook. Visit www.BlackNewWorldMedia.com to read more.