TINA PANG: For us [M+] as an institution of visual culture. It [neon signs] contains so many of the elements of what we feel really defines a place. So, it speaks to the history of a city, the history of design, architecture, the development of the urban landscape. Really significantly, it's one of the most important markers of how you recognise Hong Kong. And you can see this overlay of different kinds of industries from restaurants to saunas, nightclubs, mahjong parlours. So, you see a little bit of a snapshot of ordinary life in the city.

BRIAN KWOK: [Cantonese] In 1929, a newspaper stated that neon lights had finally appeared in Hong Kong. A sign's primary function is to be readable. That’s why Chinese character scripts used on signboards tend to look conventional and formal, such as Beiwei and Regular scripts. Before computers came along, of course, everything was handwritten. The designs on the signs represent each shop's best-known specialties. The most important thing is the stories behind the signs. They hold within them what we often call collective memories, and they also reflect the hardship and resilience experienced by families at different times. That’s why the signboard of Sammy’s Kitchen uses [the image of] a cow with exaggerated proportions. Neon signs work by passing an electric current through inert gas to trigger a light-emitting chemical process. When a big or small electric current surges it produces striking visual effects.

YUMI LI: [Cantonese] I think the allure of neon signs lies in the craftsmanship. For example, they involve building scaffolding, designing and drawing, bending the neon tubes, and then installing and maintaining. Every procedure is managed by a master specialised in that area. But as far as I know, there are fewer than ten active craftsmen left in the industry.

TINA PANG: For us as an institution beginning to think about neon in 2014, we realised it was already in danger. So even though it’s only just over ten years since then many of those signs no longer exist.

BRIAN KWOK: [Cantonese] Many neon signs in Hong Kong have been removed after the Buildings Department introduced tighter regulations in 2010. They have long been a part of the community’s visual memory. When they disappear, it feels as if society or even the community, is changing.

TINA PANG: At the beginning, when we started to actually collect physical neon signs, we had to really understand what it meant. Dismantling them from the buildings themselves is quite involved in order not to damage the sign, not to damage the building, in order to get it down in as good a shape as possible.

ZAFFER CHAN: [Cantonese] These days, many neon signs have already been taken down. But the hand-drawn sketches document the original designs and important information. Conservation is about protecting an object’s longevity. When a work arrives in the conservation lab, we will start with the condition checking and registration process to understand its properties. We’ll then look for signs of deterioration before we formulate appropriate conservation treatments or preventive measures. Words outlined on tracing paper were written to mimic how the light tubes would bend to form a word or character. Theoretically, the tracing paper drawings should align seamlessly with what’s on the drawing paper underneath. My challenge is to prevent these tracing papers from distorting to ensure that both drawings align. Conserving these eighteen neon sign sketches took about three months. The sketches document communication between the craftsmen and the client. These could be a few words about the client's request or the craftsmen’s own notes. I was moved like I was participating in their dialogue.

YUMI LI: [Cantonese] The neon sign for Very Good Tailor is made of fourteen light tubes. When it came into my hands, nine of them were damaged, and the spare parts were no longer being produced. At both ends of a light tube are electrodes. These electrodes used to be produced in Hong Kong, and have a unique design. I could see the paint had badly deteriorated, and most of it had peeled off. In order to retain the original material as much as possible, we had to find a way to adhere the paint back on the metal box. Since the neon sign is displayed in the gallery next to other objects, many of which are likely sensitive to light and UV light. While we want this sign to glow, we have to keep the brightness in check. From preparation to the completion of installation, the process took me around ten months. When I walked into the gallery, I felt relieved as I saw the neon sign light up. I had never seen this sign from that angle until I saw it on the wall, and only then did I realise the effect it had.

CM YIP: [Cantonese] The sketches are for Mitsubishi and Radio Centre Limited, etc.

ZAFFER CHAN: [Cantonese] At M+, we have a research centre that the public can apply to visit. They can even put on gloves to touch these historical documents. We also digitised all sketches and uploaded them to our website for more people to see these rare images and valuable data.

TINA PANG: It was important for us to show them when we opened the museum. It was also surprising for us that when you see them up close, you realise how huge they are.

BRIAN KWOK: [Cantonese] The aesthetics and spirit of neon signs have evolved into a kind of ideology. I think this makes them more sustainable and even opens them up to more possibilities.

TINA PANG: It really comes to define a certain visuality of the city and the urban landscape. It’s kind of a collage of the city. So, even though we now have few neon signs in the landscape. I think that Hong Kong will forever be defined by neon signs.