How Keith Macgregor Remembers Hong Kong’s Neon Heritage

Description

From 18 June to 4 October, Blue Lotus’ City of Lights spotlights Keith Macgregor’s expansive photographic archive of Hong Kong’s neon signage from the 1990s and 2000s, capturing a city once defined by its luminous streets. Featuring hundreds of previously unseen images, the project documents both the visual spectacle and the intricate craftsmanship behind these disappearing works—from master glass benders to daring installers.

Arriving at a moment of renewed public interest in neon heritage, the exhibition and book situate this fading landscape within a broader cultural shift, where preservation efforts intersect with contemporary reinterpretation. As familiar storefronts vanish and urban rhythms evolve, Macgregor’s images serve as both record and reflection, preserving fleeting scenes of everyday life. Yet City of Lights looks forward as much as it looks back, highlighting how artists and conservationists are reshaping neon’s legacy for a new generation.

On 20 June, from 14:00 to 16:00, there will be a talk between the photographer and co-author Cardin Chan, Zolima CityMag contributor and founder of the cultural heritage company, The Indispensible Hong Kong.