Kuo-Wei Lin’s work revolves around the examination and questioning of the physical and emotional aspects of the exchange system. In his new work, Lin employs photography and sculpture to explore the creation of the exchange system. He shifts our attention from the materiality of currency to the substance of digital image storage, focusing on different aspects of patina. In his piece “Commemorial,” the act of pressing a coin creates an ambivalent consequence. On one hand, the elongated coin flattens the imprint of its circulation traces, while on the other hand, it stretches and curves into a new form. In “Hammering Memory,” Lin invents a patina on nine copper metal plates by hammering their surfaces. The arrangement of these copper plates simulates the contact points of a camera memory card. For Lin, the hammering process is a way to transform the copper and explore the process of forming. He is interested in crystallizing the moment of material processing. In “Thermalgram,” heat leaves an ephemeral trace on thermal paper. Lin aims to discover an alternative way of creating images by using templates with holes. The circulation of heat and movement of air create abstract patterns. The work addresses the visibility and disappearance of images, revealing the energy around us and reconnecting to the history of photography. Kuo-Wei Lin’s work strikes a balance between reconfiguring materials and conceptual rigor. His work questions the physical and mental impact in relation to energy, power, and memory.