While ballpoint pens can be found just about anywhere, Wai opts for Swiss-made pens with thinner barrels and high-quality ink. “These pens are light-resistant, waterproof and bleach-proof,” he explains. “Meanwhile, the Xuan paper I use is made in Anhui province in the Chinese Mainland; it’s designed to preserve its quality for over a thousand years.”

For large-scale projects, Wai might stock up on hundreds of pens to ensure the uniformity of his work. To grasp the challenge of controlling such fine pens to achieve smooth, consistent lines, anyone need only try to replicate Wai’s technique. I attempt to do so myself, and it is indeed not easy – a further testament to Wai’s commitment to durability and precision.  

A Rhythm of Landscape 38 was born from Wai’s deep connection to the natural landscapes of Hong Kong. As a child growing up in the New Territories, he would observe from his window the spectacle of rainfall passing over the mountains and learnt to perceive the silent communication between all things. "Whenever rain covered the entire mountaintop, a mist would drift among the forests,” he recalls. “This dialogue between the mountains and the rain seemed to narrate the feeling of living through changing times."

Always tuned into his environment, Wai found that during the pandemic his works became influenced by what was happening around him. "Daily essentials for people in Hong Kong, such as alcohol and bleach, became incorporated into my work. Ink turns purple when rendered with alcohol, while bleaching it creates a sense of void. Finally, I would sand off some lines to produce a feeling of memories that are both present and distant."