Lights Out
Arriving in Hong Kong, the warm glow of neon lights is undeniable, each sign bartering for your attention, your patronage. The city is an example of a cyberpunk futuristic dystopia, reminiscent of films such as Blade Runner and The Ghost in the Shell. It’s difficult to look away, just as birds are drawn to shiny objects, we too as humans are drawn in by the bright colourful lights, transcending us back to our childhood. The neon lights of Hong Kong have instilled themselves as an integral part of the cultural landscape, Aric Chen, head curator of the M+ museum’s online exhibition ‘NEONSIGNS.HK,’ noting, “when you think of Hong kong and visual culture, one of the first things that comes to the fore is neon signs.” (Tse, 2015) As I began my journey into Hong Kong, emerging from the Jordan MTR, the power of the lights wAS mesmerising, for although it was 11pm at night, the city was wide awake.
Neon lights have had a long history in Hong Kong and are an integral part of the cultural language of the city. Neon technology, as a means of advertising, was initially introduced to Hong Kong in the 1930’s, however it was not until after World War II and the economic resurgence that the city underwent that the technology came to the forefront. Designer Keith Tam noting, “It is sometimes said that the wealth and prosperity of a city can be measured by how bright it is after dusk.” (Tam, n.d.) Neon soon became an indispensable part of Hong Kong’s cultural identity, not only culturally but economically. Lay Wan, a neon sign maker arguing that “Hong Kong’s prosperity depended on design. That meant neon signs.” (Wan, 2016) The industry reached its peak in Hong Kong during the 1970s, “there were so many orders we almost couldn’t handle it” says William Tan, the owner of Hong Kong Sign Makers, with many workshops operating 364 days in the year to keep up with the new demand. (Li, 2014)
Today however, the era of neon prosperity is dimming. As I walked further through Jordan I realised many of the lights were beginning to fade, or switched off entirely. One of the most famous lights in Jordan was the neon sign above Man Man Kee noodle shop on Parkes Street, erected in 1958, and later replaced in 2003, the large double panelled signs was the largest in the street, commanding the attention of the smaller side street. Unlike many of the other lights in the area, the owners were stringent on ensuring it remained in perfect condition, “The sign company would come inspect the sign to fix parts of the tubes that stopped working, paint that had come off, or to replace transformers if it was necessary”, (Chan, Dewolf, 2018) says Lesley Mak, daughter of Mak Man Kee, who now runs the business. Unfortunately the sign was removed in early 2018 due to safety concerns, and thus I never got to experience the warmth of its neon glow as I queued outside to wait for my wontons. Instead the street was lit by a large Pizza Hut sign, and LED lights advertising foot massages.
Other businesses have undergone similar fates, such as Sammy’s Kitchen in Sai Ying Pun, who’s 3m long neon cow had lit up Queens Road West for nearly 40 years. The light in question cost the family 30 000HKD at the time, the same cost as a nearby flat. Iry, the daughter of the restaurants founder Sammy Yip explained that, “People back then had the entrepreneurial spirit, They would rather take risks and out money into building a business than buying property.” (Chow, 2015)The attitude of the shop owners however is sentimental, but also ambivalent, “times have changed and theres nothing we can do about it” Yip reveals. (Chow, 2015) Although it may appear bleak, this attitude seems the only option amidst the stringent control of the government, and the overwhelming influence of gentrification continuing to transform old Hong Kong into a modern super city.
As I continued exploring Jordan I made my way up through Yau Ma Tei to Mong Kok, a highly dense and concentrated maze of LED lights, the message of each sign unclear amidst the visual sensory assault. In the back streets of Mong Kok however I found a street market closing up for the night, a flickering neon sign one of the few light sources within the surprisingly quiet and dark street. The pink, green and gold of the almost forgotten seafood restaurant light, captivating as it stands alone. Neon lights, have themselves, become a metaphor for the way the city is changing, the the old Hong Kong disappearing and fading, being removed and taken down to make way for the new modernised and homogenized Hong Kong. “Gentrification has also played a part in the decline: as neighbourhoods become more upmarket, old buildings are torn down and, with them, their neon signs.” (Carter, 2018) The influence of gentrification is not only evident in the lights but throughout Hong Kong, as street markets are replaced with supermarkets and Cha Chaan Tangs with starbucks.
Aric Chen, however, seeks to document and save some of these lights through an online interactive exhibition at the M+ museum, ‘NEONGSIGNS.HK.’ The exhibition has sought to save many of the lights removed from going to landfill, such as the famous cow from Sammy’s kitchen. Mr Chen acknowledges however that he believes the best way to display the lights is not in the museum, but rather on the street, and hopes the exhibition will bring awareness to this. Despite the museums efforts to save the lights, little can be done in the face of modern development and progress, as “the pace of deinstallation only seems to be accelerating.” (Chan, Dewolf, 2018) Although small scale indoor jobs are starting to emerge it is not enough to sustain the neon industry alone, particularly with the industry dying out, as the craft has all but ceased being passed onto the younger generation. Despite the ever-growing presence of gentrification, Hong Kong still retains a nostalgia for the past, hidden in back alleys, street corners and tram stations. The spirit of the old city remains alive, at least, until they turn the lights out.
Victoria Wills is currently studying a Bachelor of Visual Communication at the University of Technology Sydney. She almost only shoots on film, because like neon lights, it too, is dying as a medium.
References
Tse, R. 2015, ‘Hong Kong Is Slowly Dimming Its Neon Glow’, NY Times, 13th October, viewed 3rd February 2019, <https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/14/world/asia/hong-kong-neon-sign-maker.html>
Tam, K. n,d, ‘The Architecture of Communication: The Visual Language of Hong Kong’s Neon Signs, NeonSigns.HK, viewed 3rd February 2019, <http://www.neonsigns.hk/neon-in-visual-culture/the-architecture-of-communication/?lang=en>
West Kowloon Central District, ‘霓虹的製作 The Making of Neon Signs | NEONSIGNS.HK 探索霓虹’, YouTube, viewed 3rd February 2019, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsIo57pH-pA>
Li, zoe. 2014. ‘Can Hong Kong save its neon signs? One museum hopes so’, CNN Travel, 4th July, viewed 3rd February 2019, <http://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/hong-kong-neon/index.html>
Chan, C. Dewolf, C. 2018. ‘MAK MAN KEE WINS A MICHELIN STAR — AND LOSES ITS FAMOUS NEON SIGN, Zolima City Mag, January 31st, viewed 3rd February 2019, <https://zolimacitymag.com/mak-man-kee-wins-a-michelin-star-and-loses-its-famous-neon-sign/>
Chow, V. 2015. ‘Iconic neon cow sign in Hong Kong removed, set for new museum’, South China Morning Post, 6th August, viewed 3rd February 2019, <https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/1846810/iconic-neon-cow-sign-hong-kong-removed-set-new>
Carter, C. 2018. ‘Feeling Nostalgic for Hong Kong’s neon,’ The Economist 1843, 2nd July, viewed 3rd February 2019, <https://www.1843magazine.com/dispatches/feeling-nostalgic-for-hong-kongs-neon>
