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In an alternate version of Hong Kong, old shops endure, and neon signs never fade.
The “Hongkongverse”, imagined by Tommy, an artist known as Tommychief Oil, depicts the city’s cultural landmarks frozen in time with a post-apocalyptic, whimsical twist.
“Perhaps an apocalyptic scenario would actually make people cherish old buildings more – and preserve them longer,” said Tommy, who is in his 20s and prefers to use only his given name.
Since 2023, he has been making art that pays tribute to Hong Kong’s buildings and independent bookshops.
“Sometimes, I just want to recreate those scenes. Other times, I imagine: what if a certain building had survived until today?” he said.
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Tommy explained that his fascination with disappearing landmarks was inspired by his interest in photographing ruins.
“I started ... imagining how certain places were once vibrant before becoming frozen in time due to economic changes or the passage of years,” he said.
In one piece for his Hong Kong series, Tommy crafts a world where the Kwai River Bridge stands in a version of Tai Hang that exists outside the constraints of history.
Demolished in 2011, the bridge once crossed above a large stream that flowed from Jardine’s Lookout and Mount Butler. In the early 1900s, residents often gathered at a section of the stream to wash clothes.
By the 1960s, this area was encased in concrete and converted into an underground channel, later renamed Wun Sha Street – meaning “washing silk street” – in memory of its past, Tommy explained.
Now, Wun Sha Street is known as the centre of the Fire Dragon Dance, a cherished tradition in Tai Hang.
Hybrid techniques
Each of Tommy’s works is a blend of hand-drawing and digital composition.
“I think that’s still a relatively uncommon combination,” he said.
In his imagined worlds, humans coexist peacefully with animal hybrids. At the centre of each piece is a recurring figure: Tommy’s armoured alter ego journeying through cityscapes that often blur the lines between reality and fantasy.
“In the artwork, you might see scenes that resemble the real Hong Kong, sometimes an older version of it, but there are also fantasy elements,” he said.
“Many of the pieces look somewhat post-apocalyptic: flooded streets [and] broken-down areas. I prefer that kind of atmosphere, especially when combined with a bit of futuristic, hi-tech detail.”
Each artwork is also layered with references to memes, pop culture and anime.
“Maybe I’ve just read the news or watched a movie, and the shop or location I’m drawing reminds me of that. So I bring those cultural references into the work,” the artist said.
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A series on Hong Kong’s bookshops
After graduating from a university in the UK, Tommy began his career as an interior designer in Hong Kong. Two years ago, he began pursuing illustration full-time.
“When I was a kid, I actually loved drawing,” he said. “But growing up in an Asian family, I ended up choosing a more practical, career-focused path.”
His latest series focuses on Hong Kong’s independent bookstores, using them as portals to explore the city’s history and cultural preservation.
So far, he has illustrated over a dozen bookshops, including Book Punch and Hunter Bookstore.
“I usually go to the actual spot, take photos, talk to people in the area and absorb the surroundings,” he said. “My hope is that when people look at the artwork, they immediately feel the ... spirit of that neighbourhood.”
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One of the series’ stand-out works features Knock Knock Bookstore in Sai Wan, a shop specialising in philosophy books that will close in June.
In the artwork, the characters hold books as they board a ship that is about to set sail.
Tommy drew inspiration from The Truman Show, a 1998 American film which is often discussed in philosophy books. It follows a man who discovers his life is actually a set for a reality TV show.
“There’s this powerful moment when he decides to leave and sails to the edge of what he thinks is the ocean, only to hit a wall. He finds a staircase and a door that lets him escape into the unknown,” Tommy said.
“It poses a ... question: would you be willing to leave the comfort of what you know to face the unknown?”
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