Hung Yi: Dragon Fortune

The Asian Art Museum presents Dragon Fortune, a hulking, psychedelic dragon painted in every color of the rainbow, from its fiery horns down to its checkered purple sneakers by Taiwanese artist Hung Yi. (December 12, 2016 - Ongoing)

If you’ve visited the museum recently, it’s unlikely you missed the playful creature standing sentry at our steps: a hulking, psychedelic dragon painted in every color of the rainbow, from its fiery horns down to its checkered purple sneakers. Taiwanese artist Hung Yi’s Dragon Fortune meshes together Taiwanese folk art, Japanese textile design, pop art and children’s cartoons, breathing vibrant colors and auspicious blessings right onto our doorstep.  

You might recognize Dragon Fortune from Hung’s whimsical menagerie, Fancy Animal Carnival, on view in Civic Center Plaza in the spring of 2015 — that’s when director Jay Xu fell in love with it. Grateful for the donation from Taipei’s InSian Gallery, Xu is delighted by the dragon selfies proliferating across social media. He says, “Our building is historical and beautiful, but it’s a little serious. The dragon offers a joyful, lighthearted counterbalance. It makes people smile.”   

Inscribed on the body are abundant Chinese expressions of good fortune, such as, “Every day brings buckets of gold.” (We’ll take it!) The dragon’s shape is fish-like, evoking Chinese folklore about carp transforming into dragons. “I believe that art can create the power and energy of happiness,” says Hung. 

Bask in the positive vibes; snap a photo and join the legions who have paused for a magical moment with our #HappyDragon.