Certificate of Authenticity

This is one of the "Salute to Hong Kong Old Buildings" series painted by the artist - Tokwawan is undergoing enormous changes. Hundreds of old buildings will be turned into modernized new flats in a few years. Most of the old buildings involved are over 50 years old and eight storeys high with no lifts. The low-rise character is a holdover from a time when buildings had to stay low to accommodate incoming airplanes landing at the airport nearby at Kai Tak. The buildings generally lack proper maintenance and repair. Unauthorized building structures are found on the roofs of some buildings. Nevertheless, they were the sweet homes for numerous local families over the past. Let’s capture them by urban sketching before they are gone.