A Still Moment on a Hong Kong Shore: Mixed Media Painting “10:44am @ Beach”

Yu Kwok Wai has been awarded the Silver Prize in the Mixed Media Painting category at the Future Art & Design Award UK 2025 Autumn Season for his evocative work 10:44am @ Beach. Praised by the jury as “a poetic and contemplative work with a strong concept and unique material integration,” the piece blends memory, object, time, and emotion through a compelling approach to collage, incorporating both two-dimensional and three-dimensional elements.

With a professional background spanning product development, manufacturing, and academic research in creativity, Yu brings a distinctive interdisciplinary lens to his artistic practice. His work merges conceptual rigor with sensory experience, creating visual narratives shaped by quiet observation and material experimentation.

Q1: What initially inspired this project? Was there a particular idea, moment, or question that sparked its creation?

Yu: The initial inspiration was a specific, quiet moment of presence on a sweltering summer morning at a beach in Hong Kong. The project, 10:44am @ Beach, emerged from my desire to capture the essence of that experience: the still, heavy air, the sensation of the sun, and the quiet pleasure of observing delicate shadows cast by my vintage watch, which read 10:44am. It was this convergence of sensory details and a specific point in time that sparked the creation of this collage, aiming to merge both the material and emotional fragments of that morning into a unified visual experience.

Q2: What was the most exciting or most challenging aspect of bringing this work to life?

Yu: The most challenging and exciting aspect was integrating a three-dimensional object—the actual watch from that morning—into a two-dimensional collage. This required a deliberate orchestration of composition, material integration, and spatial layering to preserve not just the image, but the tangible essence of the moment. This approach pushed the boundaries of traditional collage, creating a subtle dimensional shift that invites viewers to engage with the scene from both a literal and an imaginative vantage point. The fusion of paper, object, and texture enriched the creative process, offering a fresh perspective on how mixed media can deepen a viewer’s connection to a captured moment.

Q3: How was your experience taking part in the Future Art & Design Award UK?

Yu: Participating in the Future Art & Design Award UK was an immensely valuable experience. The platform provided a fantastic opportunity to discover and learn from a diverse community of artists and designers. I was particularly inspired not only by the outstanding work on display but also by the creative processes and intellectual thinking shared by them.

Q4: Would you please like to share your website, biography, photos, and any social media links for showcasing and promotion?

Yu: You can find me on Instagram at: www.instagram.com/wayne_yyu/

While I practice as a part-time artist, my professional background is deeply connected to creativity. I serve as the Executive Director of a listed company in Hong Kong focused on home appliance product development and manufacturing. Concurrently, I hold the position of Honorary Professor at a university in Hong Kong; my doctoral research centered on creativity, which fuels my ongoing passion for learning and sharing knowledge. I am currently an article editor on the subject of creativity and am writing a book about collage art.