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The Neon Conservation and Rescue Team crowdfunded 218 "post-50s" signature manuscripts to reproduce the light under UV light

2022-10-03T15:37:31.432Z


Hong Kong's large and small neon signs are landmarks, urban landscapes, and products of history; but in the past three months, whether it is called "the happiest neon sign", Guan Nan Hua in Yau Ma Tei, or the one that has stood for more than half a century


Hong Kong's large and small neon signs are landmarks, urban landscapes, and products of history; but in the past three months, whether it is called "the happiest neon sign", Guan Nan Hua in Yau Ma Tei, or Yuan Hua, which has stood for more than half a century The old bakery of Long Datong and Tin Heung House in Tsim Sha Tsui, "the best Hangzhou dish in the world", their neon signboards have been announced or "disappeared" due to the building department's demolition order one after another, making Hong Kong a tribute to countless movies and Japanese animations. The night scene was eclipsed.


The neon lights in this city dissipated quickly, and some people fought against time to "rescue" the signs; some people used the design manuscripts of the past to record the existence of neon signs. Recently, a designer launched a crowdfunding to compile a book, a complete compilation of 218 pieces of 50 In the 1970s, the manuscripts of neon signboards in the catering industry used a special printing method. Ultraviolet light was used to illuminate the books, and the neon tubes on the manuscripts had a glowing effect, as if the neon night of old Hong Kong was recreated before the eyes.


Photography: Lu Yiming


Zhang Shaobao (left) and Fan Ruilin (right), who are designers, hope to organize the manuscripts of 218 neon signboards into a book and bring back the neon night of old Hong Kong to the public.

(Photo by Lu Yiming)

Each neon manuscript is unique. The earliest designs were seen in the 1950s.

Fan Ruilin (Allan) and Zhang Shaobao (Poe) are members of the design team Nous, and former students of Guo Siheng, director of PolyU's Communication Design Department and author of "Neon Darkness".

In the early years, a local neon sign factory that had been operating for more than 60 years, donated more than 700 neon sign manuscripts to PolyU when it closed, 218 of which belonged to the catering industry in the 1950s and 1970s, such as "French Restaurant" and "Taihu Hall" etc. are included.

Each manuscript is unique and can be seen in the style of the painters and their notes.

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"Manuscripts are usually only moved to Poly on weekdays. If there is no exhibition, the public will not be able to access them on weekdays." Fan Ruilin said that he hoped that more people would see the manuscripts and know that each of them was painted by hand, and the colors can still be seen today. Keep it bright; this part of neon history, they hope to bring to the public in book form.

Fewer and fewer people know what neon lights look like... We watch movies from home, especially science fiction movies. We say that Hong Kong will often see neon lights. Maybe after a few generations, people will no longer feel the same way.

Local designer Fan Ruilin

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Publishers refuse to print crowdfunded books with 4-color fluorescent inks on the grounds that the book is too risky

Fan Ruilin pointed out with a smile that making neon lights "glow" in books is not a high-tech process, and there are people who use UV lights to create similar effects from time to time. Their books will be equipped with UV flashlights; the complicated part is the printing process, " Before writing a book, I will do a "printing". I have to repeatedly test many pictures. I will try to match the different fluorescent colors to the traditional four-color ink. After checking the samples, I will first achieve the luminous effect, which is the closest to the buried. The color of the manuscript."

In order to reproduce the original colors of the manuscript in the book, they specially selected "eight-color printing". Compared with the ordinary prints that only use 4 colors, this time there are 4 more fluorescent inks.

Zhang Shaobao said that there is a big difference between the two, and the only way to restore the original bright colors of the manuscript is to pay double or even more in terms of cost and manpower.

Each manuscript had to be handled independently, and they had to make frequent trips to the printing house to make sure they were graded correctly; the publishers felt it was too risky to publish the book, and they had to publish it at their own expense.

▼The nearly 80-year-old Datong Old Bakery has a two-storey neon sign outside its main store in Yuen Long for more than half a century▼


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▼On August 16, the "Happiest Neon Light" Guan Nanhua skirt and gown signboard was finally lit before dismantling▼


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The goal is to raise 400,000 yuan to print 800 copies: I believe that there are many people in Hong Kong Neon

In order to publish the book, the two launched a crowdfunding campaign called "Neon Sign Artworks Publication Project". In addition to 218 manuscripts, the book also includes the research laboratory's collection and analysis of neon signs in Hong Kong in the past three years. The information on the signboard includes a brief history of Hong Kong's neon signs, a brief history and culture of the catering industry, and visits from local neon masters. Under this plan, the price of the book is about 500 to 700 yuan.

They also know that Hong Kong people have a bad impression of "crowdfunding" in recent years. Fan Ruilin said with a wry smile, "If you really want to get money, this (publishing a book) must not be a good method. You can sell a lot of peripheral products. How much human and material resources do you need?” He pointed out that in addition to printing books, the rest of the money will be used for educational purposes such as exhibitions and sharing sessions, and he believes that the goal of crowdfunding can be achieved, “Except for the figure, about 400,000 mosquitoes It would cost (someone bought) about 800 copies... After all, the neon lights and the manuscripts are all ordered, I believe, in fact, there are more than 800 people in Hong Kong who like this (neon signs)."

(Signboards) must be demolished. (Under government regulations) there will be no such thing if they are demolished. The most important thing is to achieve conservation.

Local designer Fan Ruilin

They believe that the goal of crowdfunding can be achieved, "Except for the figure, about 400,000 mosquitoes will require (someone bought) about 800 copies... I believe, in fact, there are more than 800 people in Hong Kong who like this (neon). signboard).” (Photo by Lu Yiming)

For the details of the "Neon Sign Artworks Publication Project" plan, production cost details, current progress, etc., interested parties can search and inquire on the official website of indiegogo crowdfunding.

Relevant plans are being crowdfunded on the official website of indiegogo.

(network map)

Goodbye Neon|Tsim Sha Tsui's "Celebrity Dining Hall" Tin Heung House's signboard dismantled the chicken and fish pattern, only the neon craftsmen who were born in the 1980s repaired the old light tube and recreated the 3D moon: they represent the neon of the old bakery's main store in Datong, the most prosperous era in Hong Kong Farewell to the signboard after the Mid-Autumn Festival: Half-century old friend group "demolition" the only Panasonic neon sign left on both sides of the Victoria Harbour will be replaced with LED lights, and the conservation plan will be developed

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Source: hk1

All news articles on 2022-10-03

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