Meet the artist reviving Hong Kong’s neon light legacy

Once upon a time, Hong Kong was a neon metropolis. Rainbows washed over the entranceways of entire buildings, a lone cow beckoned patrons to the legendary Sammy’s Kitchen in Sai Ying Pun and fish shimmered outside seafood restaurants in Sai Kung.

In addition to those signs above restaurants, larger-than life, glowing Chinese characters advertised everything from hotels and pawnshops to banks. The kaleidoscopic signs that blazed over bustling thoroughfares became quintessential cultural emblems that signified Hong Kong’s vitality and rapid rise in fortunes.

Though modernisation has dimmed the city’s neon glow in recent decades, keeping that light alive is a new generation who are embracing, adapting and teaching others the craft. Former multimedia designer Jive Lau is the neon light artist behind Kowloneon , a neon studio where everything from retro signs to avant-garde artworks are forged.

Meet a Hong Kong neon light master

The entrance to Kowloneon’s atelier, housed in the Hong Kong Arts Development Council’s Art Space in Wong Chuk Hang, blazes with a resplendent neon sign in that most iconic of hues: crimson. Through Lau’s discerning eye, neon radiates with a light most akin to nature – at once gentle and vivacious. Gaze at it long enough and its brilliance dances like a performer in perpetual motion.

“Why should something so beautiful vanish?” Lau once wondered. He fervently believes that great things deserve to be preserved, though neon craftsmanship was just a hobby at the start.

In 2019, he ventured into the mountains of Hsinchu to apprentice under master neon artisan Huang Shun-le, acquiring the fundamental techniques of glass-bending. He had already procured equipment as well as a studio ahead of his training, intending to practise independently thereafter.

Then, in 2020, unexpected corporate redundancy coincided with his first commercial neon commission. “I spent seven days crafting an installation, which was utterly unreasonable in hindsight, yet having someone appreciate my work felt absolutely extraordinary,” Lau recalls.

Mastering the art of neon bending

From his start in the field to his growing obsession with light and shadow, Lau describes himself as having become “gradually intoxicated”. As he explains: “Glass-bending represents both magical and therapeutic processes.” A straight, fragile tube of glass can transform into infinite possibilities through an artisan’s deft touch.

“The torch reaches temperatures exceeding 1,000˚C, while glass softens and melts around 300 to 400˚C,” Lau says, moving the tube laterally at a steady pace as he elucidates the tube bending principles. At just the right moment, he curves the tube and introduces air. “Glass contracts and deforms during heating; blowing restores proper expansion and form,” he says. Once the tube is shaped, the illumination process begins. “Achieving luminescence requires vacuum extraction of internal impurities, then the introduction of gases that vary depending upon the desired colour. This batch contains considerable impurities – sometimes it takes half a day to achieve an ideal colouration.” He then describes neon-making’s unexpected challenges, noting how uncertainty persists until a piece is complete.

For Lau, a neon craftsman’s responsibilities extend far beyond design and glass-bending, encompassing a profound understanding of the underlying scientific theories, research into electrical and chemical gas applications, and engineering knowledge to install each piece. He insists on handling every step personally, relying solely upon his own hands.

Does he ever dream of creating amid mountain forests, like his master craftsman? “I rather prefer the sea,” he replies, chuckling to himself.

Inside Kowloneon, Hong Kong’s homegrown neon studio

Six years on, Kowloneon remains a one-person operation. Yet Lau’s creations have grown from modest neon installations to bespoke signage for major brands, including Coach and G.O.D., as well as large-scale, immersive installations for the Hong Kong Ballet. Beyond commercial commissions, Lau organises exhibitions and leads workshops. Asked what brings him the greatest pleasure, he responds: “Returning to pure creation.” He believes neon represents the illumination of the future, and that as science and technology advance, neon lighting will evolve correspondingly.

In the 2022 Hong Kong film A Light Never Goes Out – a tribute to the city’s neon legacy – a character muses, “Legend says lamp spirits dwell within neon lights – wishes made to them come true.” As Hong Kong itself grows and changes, bending like superheated glass to meet the moment, its neon artisans continue to illuminate every own corner of the city. They pass on not just a skill but a spirit – one glowing filament at a time.

Take a neon light-making class in Hong Kong

During Kowloneon’s four-hour workshops, you’ll create bespoke designs and produce unique pieces. Additionally, if you’re after a more comprehensive understanding, Lau offers a three-month neon apprenticeship programme.