Photo by Leung Ching Ho
The bustling scenes of Hong Kong at night wouldn’t be complete without the constant glow of its neon-lit streets. This is a sentiment that is not only experienced by those who have made the pilgrimage to the city of 7 million, but also by foreigners who have never set foot within its limits, thanks to countless cinematic references based on and shot within the iridescent city.
M+, Hong Kong’s new visual culture museum, is sharing the neon art that gives the city its unmatched vibrance. Their online exhibit, “Mobile M+: NEONSIGNS.HK," allows anyone with an Internet connection to browse photo after photo of Hong Kong’s local signage.
Photo by Wing Shya
With more tech-y solutions rapidly overtaking the neon market, the once bold and iconic works of glass craftsmanship are falling victim to disrepair: The industry has declined, possibly to the point of no return, such that few shops can fix these cultural icons. The project M+ has put together records the grandiose life of a crumbling artform through photos, user-submitted prose, slideshows, commissioned artwork and videos.
Photos by Tang Ho Yin (left) and Romain Jacquet-Lagreze (right)
Check out this video from M+ for a look into how neon signs are made and what some signmakers have to say about the state of the industry:
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