Striking Hong Kong neon exhibition honours ‘heroes’ of the craft and a family’s legacy

Hong Kong neon master Wong Kin-wah holds a glass tube over a burner’s flame, bending it and occasionally blowing into it with the finesse that comes from decades of honing his craft. Speed and precision are needed to mould the tube into shape before it is filled with noble gases such as neon and argon to create its distinctive glow. “I modified this burner myself so I could get a more intense flame,” Wong says at his studio in the Kowloon neighbourhood of Mong Kok, where he has worked for the past 50 years. Wong, 84, is one of the city’s last neon craftsmen. He began learning his craft at 17 years old, after moving to Hong Kong from mainland China’s Guangdong province in 1957. Like many, Wong was seeking a better life after China’s civil war (1927-1949). He found it in neon. Next to Wong is his grandson Jerry Loo, a 22-year-old artist with a flair for animation and a deep desire to learn from his grandfather. Loo, who graduated from the University of the Arts London (UAL), is passionate about telling stories, which he does through mediums such as film and animation. Now, the pair are presenting “Neon Heroes: Illuminated Dreams”, a joint exhibition featuring six neon sculptures that blend traditional neon craftsmanship with modern artistry, running until July 7 at PMQ in Central. They include The Dragon Within – inspired by Chinese mythology – and The Luminous, which pays homage to Japanese anime icons such as Dragon Ball. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jerry Loo (@jerry.verse0.0) For inspiration, Loo looked to the superheroes in his animations to explore themes of transformation, power and legacy. His Superhero Landing features an upright coiled neon cylinder wide enough to fit one’s arm, and “cracks” on the floor. It is an allusion to Superman punching the floor as he touches down from flight. Loo says most of his inspiration came from a real-life hero: his grandfather. “This project is not just about neon light, it’s about legacy,” Loo says. “It’s a tribute to my grandfather and to all the unsung heroes who continue to make Hong Kong glow.” Taking centre stage at the exhibition is One of the Eternal Glow: Legacy in Neon, a piece Loo and Wong created together to pay homage to masters of the past. The work honours pioneering artisans such as Wong who carved careers out of neon. In addition to Loo’s contemporary neon artworks, a signature piece by Wong will serve as an homage to Hong Kong neon’s golden age. The piece, which spells out “Chinese neon” in traditional Chinese characters, offers a glimpse into the meticulous craftsmanship required to bend tubes into complex shapes. Closing out the exhibition is Loo’s short animated film, Neon Waltz, which traces Wong’s journey from his arrival in Hong Kong, through his early years, to his time as an experienced neon master. Loo pulls out his phone to give a sneak peek of the film, which is set against the backdrop of Mong Kok – where many of Wong’s iconic signs once lit the streets. It is a heartwarming piece that showcases Loo’s animation skills as well as revealing how neon shaped Wong’s life and how he, in turn, helped shape Hong Kong’s urban identity. Another full-circle aspect of the exhibition is that it is being held in the same area of Central where Wong first trained as a student during his teenage years. The mix of heritage, conservation, intergenerational knowledge and skilled craftsmanship means the exhibition is sure to resonate with Hongkongers who remember when the city was awash with neon. Wong was in his element back then. He got to live and breathe Hong Kong’s post-war neon golden era, particularly from the 1950s onwards as the city’s economy grew. Neon signs were ubiquitous in Hong Kong during the 1960s and ’70s, with entire building facades covered in them. From the 1990s onwards, neon signs began to dwindle as cheaper, safer and more energy-efficient alternatives such as LEDs emerged. Today, Hong Kong’s neon industry has shifted from creating new signs to repairing old ones, with Wong’s role now as the city’s primary repairman. He also collaborates with young artists to keep neon heritage alive. Loo is one of them and he has the talent to continue the craft. He has made an impression on the city, most notably during InnerGlow 2024, at Tai Kwun in Central, which saw walls of the former prison turned heritage arts centre illuminated with artists’ work. For the event, Loo – representing his Yato studios – created Jailhouse Follies, a four-minute animation about a group of clumsy inmates. Loo was also lead designer for the city’s Lee Gardens Skateboard Fest 2023 and created the animation Detour, which was shown at the prestigious Annecy International Animation Festival in France, the world’s biggest animation event. Loo says he feels privileged to have close personal ties to neon craft and is aware of how significant it is to Hong Kong’s DNA. Neon-drenched streets are also embedded in pop culture, having been featured in Hollywood blockbusters from Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell to Wong Kar-wai’s 1994 hit Chungking Express. Revitalising neon and blending the art form with superhero themes is a way to inspire and educate young people about the craft’s heritage, Loo says. “It motivates me a lot to do this PMQ project, not only for Master Wong but for the people of Hong Kong, because neon lights are getting less ubiquitous on the streetscape,” he says. “I think neon can change into an art form that is shown in museums and exhibitions like the one we’re doing at PMQ. It gives us an opportunity to educate the public about neon signs.” In the past, neon was a tool for advertising, to be admired from a distance, Loo says. “In this exhibition, we want people to get a deeper understanding of neon. We want them to interact with it, to step into the artwork, to immerse themselves in it.” “Neon Heroes: Illuminated Dreams”, June 29-July 7, 12pm-8pm, Courtyard & Marketplace, G/F, PMQ, 35 Aberdeen Street, Central, Hong Kong

Striking Hong Kong neon exhibition honours ‘heroes’ of the craft and a family’s legacy

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Neon master Wong Kin-wah and his grandson have teamed up for an exhibition that blends traditional neon craftsmanship with modern artistry

Neon master Wong Kin-wah and his grandson have teamed up for an exhibition that blends traditional neon craftsmanship with modern artistry