Bruce Lee Ascends: UW Permanent Installation Debuts in September
“When one has reached maturity in the art, one will have a formless form.”
— Bruce Lee
Tuesday, September 6, 2022, will mark the official debut of Bruce Lee Ascending (飛小龍), as a permanent art installation at the Odegaard Undergraduate Library (OUGL) at the University of Washington (UW). The event is sponsored by UW’s American Ethnic Studies (AES) Department, the OCA Asian Pacific Advocates of Greater Seattle (OCA-GS), and the Bruce Lee Foundation, with additional support provided by UW Libraries and the UW School of Art History and Design.
The art piece featured on the main staircase of OUGL, was created by current UW Communications graduate student, Han Eckelberg, while he was an UW undergraduate student in Art and American Ethnic Studies. Eckelberg created the project for his PHOTO/MEDIA 340 class with Professor Whitney Lynn in Winter 2020. He initially installed it at OUGL, just before the pandemic began. It quickly proved popular among the student population and was voted the Best Artwork at the 2020 UW Maker’s Summit.
According to Eckelberg, Bruce Lee Ascending pays homage to Bruce Lee who studied drama and philosophy at the UW in the early 1960s. This artwork “reminds all students that, as the quote from Bruce Lee suggests, gaining knowledge in any art requires hard work and discipline.”
“As a central gathering place for our UW community, Odegaard Undergraduate Library is a fitting place for the timeless message embodied by Bruce Lee Ascending,” said Simon Neame, Dean of University Libraries. “Aligned with the Libraries’ values to enrich the student experience, we are honored to provide a permanent home for this incredible artwork that will be seen by students for years to come.”
Dr. Rick Bonus, Chair of American Ethnic Studies, notes that “there have been several attempts to create a work or monument to honor Bruce Lee,” the legendary martial artist and international icon. “Bruce Lee is an inspiration to many people so It’s good to see it finally happening.”
For UW student and OCA-GS intern, Brooklyn Hose, Lee’s personal story is particularly moving. “Bruce Lee persevered against systemic oppression especially against Asian Americans in the media . . . He illuminates the truth that BIPOC are not caricatures.”
To celebrate and welcome this newest campus art installation, the Mak Fai Kung Fu Dragon & Lion Dance Association will perform a lion dance blessing at Red Square, between OUGL and Kane Hall.
The celebration outside OUGL Library begins at 1p. As OUGL is designated as a “UW Only” site, a valid Husky card is required for entry to view the installation; however, a limited number of nonUW tickets are available. For non-UW people interested in viewing Bruce Lee Ascending, please register at https://forms.gle/LsVeAgrGbo886dbp8 or contact Dylan Hartano at hdylan1@uw.edu.
