K11 Art Foundation

The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) and the K11 Art Foundation (KAF) co-presented the first solo UK institutional exhibition of Chinese artist Zhang Ding, entitled Enter the Dragon.

The exhibition consisted of an installation that directly references the final scene from the seminal Bruce Lee film Enter the Dragon (1973). Considered to be one of the greatest Chinese martial arts films of all time, it was the first to have been produced by a major Hollywood studio under the guidance of Lee, whose contribution to the production of the film and script was extensive. Lee identified the film as a vehicle to illustrate his understanding of Oriental philosophies to Western audiences. It proved to be his final film appearance before his premature death.

Zhang Ding transformed the ICA theatre into a ‘mutating sound sculpture’, covering the room with mirrored surfaces, suspended sound panels and a series of rotating mirrored sculptures situated next to two identical music stages. For the duration of the exhibition a series of daily performances, consisting of invited artists and open submissions from a variety of musical genres selected by Zhang Ding in association with NTS. The performances seek to activate the installation to create a platform for co-operative improvisation, experimentation and self-reflection.

This is the first time KAF collaborated with an institution in the UK and Founder and Honorary Chairman, Adrian Cheng and ICA Executive Director Gregor Muir are keen to foster cultural exchange between the international arts centers of London and Hong Kong/China.