九 龍 皇 帝

The death of 曾 灶 財 had become quite a news item for last couple of days. Open your newspaper and you probably see him on the front page. I feel the Hong Kong people/Government had owed him a word of thanks as we did not treasure enough about his work and his character/personality. I still remember how people thought of him as a person with mental problem when I was little; with comment like "crazy old people draw senselessly on the street".

Now his work was being hailed as street graphite and he status had become a street artist, with a lot of prominent designer/artist "stolen" his works and imposed them on their own. Yet he only got so little benefit out of all this commercial success. I admire the fact that he did not seem to really mind about the whole thing. He could have a much better life has he decided to pursuit every penny that he can get from his copyright of his work. Nonetheless, he only concentrate what's important, his drawing/calligraphy. Because through his work of art (which I always think his calligraphy is), you can feel the fact that how lively he true is amid his difficulties in his own life.

The government finally woke up from all this and decided to protect his work, rather cover them with paint to keep the city "clean". It is about time to save a little of a character for Hong Kong, as there are only so little left already. The next one is....Queen's Pier.