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HKFP Lens: Keith Macgregor captures Hong Kong’s dazzling neon legacy in new volume and exhibition

neon hong kong

Keith Macgregor’s newly published volume on Hong Kong’s neon-drenched streets captures the city ablaze with colour and reflection.

Trams in Johnston Road, Hong Kong 2000. Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery.
Trams in Johnston Road, Hong Kong 2000. Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery.

City of Lights, published by Blue Lotus Editions, will showcase Hong Kong’s neon heritage with images from the 1990s and 2000s.

Temple Street Market, Hong Kong 1985. Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery.
Temple Street Market, Hong Kong 1985. Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery.

See also: ‘It’s disappearing very fast’: Hong Kong’s fading neon heritage shines a spotlight on the craft

Available from June 18, the book – along with an accompanying exhibition at Blue Lotus Gallery in Sheung Wan – spotlights Macgregor’s take on the iconic, fading craft.

Signs in Argyle Street, Hong Kong 1999. Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery.
Signs in Argyle Street, Hong Kong 1999. Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery.

“As neon signs are dismantled and familiar streetscapes fade, City of Lights becomes more than a celebration; it is a vital archive,” a Monday press release said. “The publication preserves a visual culture that once shaped Hong Kong’s identity after dark, safeguarding memories that are otherwise slipping away.”

NEON Collage #1. Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery.
NEON Collage #1 [Photo amalgamation.]. Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery.

At its height in the 1980s, over 100,000 neon lights shone down on Hong Kong, but only 400 now remain.

Nathan Road looking south, Hong Kong 1999. Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery.
Nathan Road looking south, Hong Kong 1999. Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery.

“Like so many others, I took neon for granted when I was younger, viewing it as urban wallpaper rather than investigating the creativity, skill, engineering, and imagination needed to create these dynamic, superb works of art,” said Macgregor, a British photographer who lived in the cities until the late 1990s.

Dai Kum Lung mahjong parlour in Wan Chai, Hong Kong 2000. Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery.
Dai Kum Lung mahjong parlour in Wan Chai, Hong Kong 2000. Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery.

A private preview and opening event will be held at Blue Lotus Gallery on June 18 between 5pm and 8pm. A talk with the photographer will take place on June 20 between 2pm and 4pm. The exhibition will run until the end of September.

Club BBOSS, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong 1998. Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery.
Club BBOSS, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong 1998. Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery.
Club BBOSS, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Hong Kong 1998. Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery. Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery.
Club BBOSS, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Hong Kong 1998. Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery. Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery.
Nathan Rd at night, Hong Kong 1999. Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery.
Nathan Rd at night, Hong Kong 1999. Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery.
Crazy Horse Club, Lockhart Road, Hong Kong 2000. Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery.
Crazy Horse Club, Lockhart Road, Hong Kong 2000. Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery.
China City, Hong Kong 2000. Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery.
China City, Hong Kong 2000. Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery.
HK Neon Fantasies, Hennessy Road, 1987:2018. Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery.
HK Neon Fantasies, Hennessy Road, 1987:2018. [Photo amalgamation.] Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery.

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20260325-CERVEZA NEGRA 001-NB018-2K

Manuel Gual posted a photo:

20260325-CERVEZA NEGRA 001-NB018-2K

The Soul of the Stout: A Journey Through Traditional Pub Culture

Description
A cinematic and evocative photographic collection capturing the essence of traditional pub culture and the artistry of dark beer. From the warm, rain-slicked exterior of historic stone taverns to the precise craft of pouring the perfect pint, this series explores the deep textures and rich atmosphere of classic gathering spaces. Visual highlights include extreme macro shots of cascading nitrogen bubbles, the rich velvety texture of the creamy foam head, raw roasted malts held in weathered hands, and intimate moments shared under dim, candlelit interiors. The imagery seamlessly blends rustic wood elements, polished brass taps, and vibrant neon reflections to evoke a timeless sense of warmth, companionship, and brewing heritage.

Note: This entire photo series was conceptually designed and generated using Artificial Intelligence.

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Neon Boss Tom Quinn Hails Success Of ‘Backrooms,’ Saying It Shows Young People Are “Willing To Walk Away From Phones” — SXSW London

Neon CEO Tom Quinn has heralded the success of Backrooms and Obsession, saying the films show “there’s a younger generation here that’s willing to walk away from their phone.” Quinn said the box office breakouts were “incredible” for the industry, and he equated it to a Blair Witch Project-style moment. He also claimed some credit […]

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20260325-CERVEZA NEGRA 001-NB010-2K

Manuel Gual posted a photo:

20260325-CERVEZA NEGRA 001-NB010-2K

The Soul of the Stout: A Journey Through Traditional Pub Culture

Description
A cinematic and evocative photographic collection capturing the essence of traditional pub culture and the artistry of dark beer. From the warm, rain-slicked exterior of historic stone taverns to the precise craft of pouring the perfect pint, this series explores the deep textures and rich atmosphere of classic gathering spaces. Visual highlights include extreme macro shots of cascading nitrogen bubbles, the rich velvety texture of the creamy foam head, raw roasted malts held in weathered hands, and intimate moments shared under dim, candlelit interiors. The imagery seamlessly blends rustic wood elements, polished brass taps, and vibrant neon reflections to evoke a timeless sense of warmth, companionship, and brewing heritage.

Note: This entire photo series was conceptually designed and generated using Artificial Intelligence.

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Neon Raises Palme D’Or Winning Streak To Seven At Cannes With Sebastian Stan & Renate Reinsve Pic ‘Fjord’

U.S. theatrical distributor Neon continued to make history at Cannes tonight with its seventh straight Palme d’Or win for Christian Mungiu’s Fjord. Fjord marks Mungiu’s English-language debut. In it, the co-stars play a mixed Romanian and Norwegian couple who move to the fjord village where the wife was born with their children. Their planned new life […]

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20260330-ROUTE 66-MJ009-2K

Manuel Gual posted a photo:

20260330-ROUTE 66-MJ009-2K

Route 66 Dreams: Classic Cars Across the American Desert

Description

A cinematic visual journey through the mythic atmosphere of Route 66, featuring vintage cars, abandoned gas stations, neon motels, desert highways, red rock landscapes, and golden sunset light. The series blends classic Americana, road trip nostalgia, open-road freedom, and a slightly surreal retro mood, evoking the timeless romance of travel across the American Southwest.

These images were generated by Artificial Intelligence.

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Roda Medhat Subverts Traditional Kurdish Narratives Into Modern Tactile Experiences

Roda Medhat Subverts Traditional Kurdish Narratives Into Modern Tactile Experiences

Toronto-based Kurdish artist Roda Medhat pushes the boundaries of fabric into the realm of sculpture, exploring the ways in which traditional West Asian textiles can be translated into various media. As digital fabrication and 3D scanning cross paths with memory and material, Medhat’s practice asks “how we carry our stories, and what happens when those stories are translated into new, synthetic languages?”

The artist’s new solo exhibition, titled From the Loom, fills Toronto’s Abbozzo Gallery with large-scale sculptures in conversation with a new series of textile works. Known in part for his neon installations, the artist also presents several glowing light-based works encased within glass or acrylic, redolent of patterned Kurdish rugs.

a Jacquard weaving by Roda Medhat depicting a boy holding a circular object
“Def” (2026). Photo by Fraser Carr Moore

Several of Medhat’s images and symbols—most prominently young boys riding horses and interacting with nature—are sourced from Kurdish children’s books. These icons are woven directly into the surface of each textile by way of an electronic Jacquard machine, further accentuating the contrast between preserved cultural objects and contemporary reconstruction. In the exhibition’s statement, Medhat shares that his work “functions as a distillation of a wider body of research,” including the contemporary subversion of archival materials.

“The Sheep and the Chevrolet,” an anchoring work within the exhibition, reimagines François Balsan’s problematic 1947 ethnographic work of the same title. Pitting bucolic Kurdish life with Western modernism, Balsan’s off-key travelogue presented a stereotypical, highly subjective view of Kurdish culture. Medhat’s bold sculpture invokes 3D printing to construct a monumental sheep composedly sitting atop a small Chevrolet vehicle, offering a playful point of reconceptualization.

From the Loom is on view through May 26. You can find more from the artist on Instagram.

a sculpture by Roda Medhat of a pink sheep sitting atop a small Chevrolet car
“The Sheep and the Chevrolet” (2026). Photo by Darren Rigo
a neon sculpture by Roda Medhat depicting patterns reminiscent of traditional Kurdish rugs
Photo by Darren Rigo
a neon sculpture by Roda Medhat depicting patterns reminiscent of traditional Kurdish rugs
“A Rug Falls in Four Frames” (2025). Photo by Fraser Carr Moore
a neon sculpture by Roda Medhat depicting patterns reminiscent of traditional Kurdish rugs
Photo by Darren Rigo
a neon sculpture by Roda Medhat depicting patterns reminiscent of traditional Kurdish rugs
a Jacquard weaving by Roda Medhat depicting a boy on a bike playing outside
“Boy, Cat, Bike, Mother” (2026). Photo by Fraser Carr Moore
a Jacquard weaving by Roda Medhat depicting patterns reminiscent of traditional Kurdish rugs
“Jajim 1” (2026). Photo by Fraser Carr Moore
detail of a geometric Jacquard weaving by Roda Medhat
Detail of “Jajim 2” (2026). Photo by Fraser Carr Moore
a neon sculpture by Roda Medhat depicting a boy running
Photo by Darren Rigo
two a neon sculptures by Roda Medhat depicting patterns reminiscent of traditional Kurdish rugs
Photo by Darren Rigo
detail of a Jacquard weaving by Roda Medhat depicting a boy holding a circular object
Detail of “Def” (2026). Photo by Fraser Carr Moore

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Roda Medhat Subverts Traditional Kurdish Narratives Into Modern Tactile Experiences appeared first on Colossal.

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‘Once Upon A Time In Harlem’ Teaser: William Greaves’ Unreleased Opus Finally Comes To Life 

EXCLUSIVE: Here’s your first official look at Once Upon A Time In Harlem, the decades-in-the-making documentary conceived and shot by William Greaves and directed by his son, David Greaves.  Neon will release Once Upon A Time In Harlem in theaters on October 16. The film’s theatrical release follows a series of buzzy debut screenings at […]

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20260330-ROUTE 66-MJ014-2K

Manuel Gual posted a photo:

20260330-ROUTE 66-MJ014-2K

Route 66 Dreams: Classic Cars Across the American Desert

Description

A cinematic visual journey through the mythic atmosphere of Route 66, featuring vintage cars, abandoned gas stations, neon motels, desert highways, red rock landscapes, and golden sunset light. The series blends classic Americana, road trip nostalgia, open-road freedom, and a slightly surreal retro mood, evoking the timeless romance of travel across the American Southwest.

These images were generated by Artificial Intelligence.

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