The Life and Art of Wai-ming Lau
Chiu-yu Mok
Executive Secartary, Arts with the Disabled Association Hong Kong
Wai-ming Lau (1965-1998) is a spastic who had to move around in a wheelchair. Although he could not use his hands to write or draw, he painted with a specially designed head pointer. Similarly he was able to communicate with an electronic notebook. For the past ten years, Lau had consistently produced many exciting and interesting works.
Lau worked in a sheltered workshop, painting on potteries. While painting for collectors and charitable organisations, he often demonstrated his unique way of "head-painting" in public education events. Lau was awarded the honour as an outstanding person with disability and was invited to England to visit museums and gallenies. In 1997, he was one of the recipients of a Fellowship for Artistic Development by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, first ever awarded in Hong Kong.
Lau passed away as a result of illness in June 1998. Before his death, Lau also experimented with "mouth-painting".
Mrs. Karen Ngai
Executive Editor
c/o Division of Social Studies
City University of Hong Kong
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