For nearly a century, twinkling neon lights have lit up Hong Kong's night and created a unique street corner scene. As early as the 1920s, many businessmen in the city began to install various neon signs on the upper floors of the tenement buildings, attracting customers with creative and colorful light shadows. It wasn't until after World War II that neon signs became more prominent in Hong Kong. At that time, many factories and workshops competed to produce glass lamps with beautiful design and exquisite craftsmanship, which made Hong Kong brightly litProsperous night view。

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With the changing times, more affordable alternatives such as LEDs have appeared on the market, and neon lights in Hong Kong have gradually become handmade by several neon masters from the mass production of large neon factories. But over the past few decades, iconic cinematic images have inspired a new generation of artists, designers and historians to preserve the city's neon colours, thanks to the lenses of renowned directors such as Wong Kar-wai and Ridley Scott.

Artist and designer Karen Chan
Artist and designerKaren ChanHe is the hero among them. In addition to exhibiting her solo work under the stage name QuietToMymess, she also organizes various art exhibitions on the theme of Hong Kong traditions. She has collaborated with Hong Kong neon master Chef Wong to curate the neon installation exhibition "My Light, My Hood" at Kong Art Space in Central. "Chef Wong is one of the most senior and outstanding neon masters in Hong Kong, he is in his 70s and has been in this business for 60 years, and it is very important to be able to collaborate with him on an exhibition. Karen said.

Hong Kong neon lights
For Karen, neon is a unique "visual language" in Hong Kong, and the artistic presentation of a commercial product can give new meaning to this language. "We've been talking about art and culture, and the connections between them. Neon is an integral element of Hong Kong culture, so people are starting to see it as an art form. When we see it as part of the local visual culture and language, we appreciate the craftsmanship behind it and take it to the next level. She explained.

"Hong Kong is a vibrant and ever-changing city, and we always want to make it better and more modern. But at the same time, it also means that many old traditions may disappear in the process, which is why neon exhibitions are important to me and other artists. Through the exhibition, we are able to explore how Hong Kong's traditional crafts can continue to evolve and how they can be given new meaning through artistic means. Karen said.

Hong Kong neon lights
Fortunately, in recent years, there have been many local companies that have echoed Karen's ideas. Numerous independent restaurants, bars, and fashion brands are working to give neon lights a new home, bringing them from the streets into the interior as true art deco.

"Neon is an important part of Hong Kong's local culture and visual language. Although its existence seems to be drifting away from us, I am optimistic about its future. I believe we can find ways to preserve and sublimate neon signs, and by collaborating with artists and designers, we can transform it into an art form. Karen concluded.