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

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. 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. 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. “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 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. “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. 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 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. 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. HK Neon Fantasies, Hennessy Road, 1987:2018. [Photo amalgamation.] Photo: Keith Macgregor, courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery.