Luminous Neon is a celebration of Hong Kong’s radiant urban soul with a strong focus on the city’s influential design legacy. It’s an illumination of memory, craft, and contemporary imagination. Through the glow of heritage signs and a striking collection of new two and three-dimensional neon works, the exhibition reveals how light itself is a living language of the city.

Once, neon signs were Hong Kong’s calling card to the world — a luminous skyline of artistry and ingenuity that captured the city’s restless energy and modern spirit. Far more than mere advertisements, these glowing beacons shaped the city’s visual language and
business culture for decades. Each sign was both a statement of identity and a promise, drawing people in from the streets with colour, craft, and character unique to Hong Kong’s urban life.

Today, these authentic icons—rescued, restored, and reignited—return to the public eye, their familiar glow rekindling stories of the streets they once adorned. Each sign carries with it the touch of the neon masters whose hands bent glass to imagination, merging precision and poetry in equal measure. Their craft not only lit up shopfronts and theatres, but also shaped the visual DNA of a city constantly in motion.

We are thrilled in this new exhibition to bring back to life several iconic signs including the Golden Phoenix Grill Restaurant salvaged in September, Tai Ping Koon from neighbouring Yau Mei Tai, Nam Cheong Pawn Shop and also Da Cheong Computer Optical Centre’s neon signs with their beloved Ray-Ban inspired neon frames, amongst other heritage treasures.

Alongside the revived emblems of the past, stands a new generation of contemporary neon artisans, whose bold two and three-dimensional works push the medium into uncharted forms driving the limits of both artistic and technical design. They build on tradition with creative and experimental techniques, transforming the timeless glow into sculptural expressions of identity, place, and emotion.

Together, old and new illuminations create a dialogue between eras—a conversation of light that transcends nostalgia. They cast Hong Kong’s neon heritage not as a relic, but as a radiant continuum: living, evolving, and endlessly luminous.

We welcome you and hope you enjoy some of the city’s vivid colours

Exhibition Objective

The primary objective of the exhibition, Luminous Neon & The Light Within The Light Without, is to explore and showcase the multifaceted nature of neon art. It seeks to illuminate the historical significance of neon while highlighting its contemporary applications in art, design, and urban culture. By featuring a diverse range of installations, the exhibition aims to engage audiences, foster appreciation for this unique medium, and inspire dialogue around the evolving role of neon in our cities and lives. The exhibition also emphasizes sustainability and innovation within the art community, encouraging new interpretations of neon in an ever-changing cultural landscape.

Introduction to Tetra Neon Exchange

Tetra Neon Exchange (TNX) is a pioneering organization dedicated to the preservation, innovation, and celebration of neon art and culture. Founded by a collective of artists, designers, and cultural historians, Tetra Neon Exchange aims to revive the traditional craft
of neon bending while integrating contemporary artistic practices. Through workshops, exhibitions, and community engagement, the organization fosters a deeper understanding of neon as both an art form and a cultural artifact.