The artist, Cheung Tat Ming, was invited by William Shum, the Founder & CEO of Memorigin, the Hong Kong tourbillon watch brand, to collaborate on a new watch design. Recently, Cheung had a photoshoot for his watch. He gave various poses and postures which created a good and fun atmosphere. William considered himself a fan of Cheung as he had watched Cheung’s comedies since young. ‘As a local brand, Memorigin hopes to pay tribute to the legendary artists who have vividly represented the Hong Kong spirits,’ said William. Cheung recognized his strong desire to create. ‘Despite my devotion to performance art, I am an enthusiast in all kinds of arts. I studied sketching at Yale University in the United States and learned the connoisseurship of ancient jade at the Hong Kong Institute of Gemmology. I didn’t need to think when William offered the opportunity of designing a watch myself. I was eager to create a beautiful art piece and to share it with everyone,’ Cheung said.

When talking about the inspiration for the watch design, Cheung told us his original plan of placing the raptors - his iconic ‘animalization’ performances on the dial. As the outcome was not as expected, he merged two favorite elements - ‘drama’ and ‘art’ with the concept of time and created the Perform for Life tourbillon watch. Through the delicate embossing techniques, a man who wears a trilby is depicted on the dial abstractly. The illusory vortexes and wavy lines behind him present multiple layers and symbolize the infinite possibilities in life. To express the concept of the ups and downs in a dramatic life, there is a smiley face and a crying face on the minute and hour hand respectively. When either arrives at the 12 o’clock position, the mask will cover up the face of the man, bringing various emotions. ‘Stressors are inevitable in our lives, but we need to know how to face them. It’s your choice to face them with laughter or sorrow. I purposely placed the smiley face on the minute hand. It would reach the 12 o’clock position 22 times a day, while the cry face would only reach it twice. Hopes are always there and living a happier life is within reach,’ he continued.

Cheung was asked what the most unforgettable ups and downs were in his life. ‘The sorrow must be the diagnosis of having Stage 3 nasopharyngeal cancer when my acting career was on an upward trajectory. I didn’t expect the bleeding nose could turn into a battle. I was panicked and worried about my family the most. I didn’t know what to do as I still needed to work and I couldn’t cry on stage. Those times were hard. I thanked my doctors and the medical staff for their care. I am now cancer-free and healthy. The happiness is that I could enter the showbiz and have worked with many good actors. I enjoy working on creations,’ he answered. He showed his appreciation for getting invited by the comedian Wong Tze Wah to participate in stand-up comedy performances at the start of his career. He later performed with comedienne Sandra Ng Kwan Yue as a stand-up comedy duo. He felt that he was one of the luckiest persons whenever he had a good performance and received applause from the audience. A part of the proceeds in this collaboration will be donated to the cancer funds, helping the patients in need. ‘The story of Tat Ming overcoming these challenges must be spread out. Everyone should learn from his positive mentality,’ said William.

The pandemic has given Cheung more leisure time to work on his scripts. He is now looking for prime actors and theatre for his production. How could he maintain a healthy work-life balance? ‘I couldn’t achieve this in the past because I always stayed up late. I am aware of the importance of health nowadays so I would remind myself to work out and rest more,’ he shared. He has built a habit of jogging in the morning. His body loved the fresh air and he felt much stronger. He emphasized the significance of having a balanced diet and enough rest. He once received messages from his sons and daughters at three in the middle of the night. He urged them to be mindful of their bodies and health.