Exhibition Experience

This installation uses 3D printing techniques to bring the audience back to the times when neon signs lit up every street corner in Hong Kong during the 1970s and 1980s. Each sign is digitalized and created from original hand-drawn sketches of actual neon signs. Viewers can catch a glimpse of our city’s once colorful night scenes using a UV torch through the vintage window frame. The memories of our city’s colorful streetscape are preserved through this interactive installation.

The late-1960s in Hong Kong is also regarded as ‘an intense era’ because of the great disturbance brought to the society by a series of riots. In response to this, the British colonial government launched the Festival of Hong Kong in subsequent years. Some commentators believed besides being a recreational activity, the festival was also the government's attempts at alleviating distress and fostering a sense of identity among Hong Kong people. Nevertheless, the festival was the first and the largest official entertainment event in Hong Kong history, which utilised different design elements and media to establish the distinct visual identity. The festival’s logo was a rubber ball with alternating and white stripes—a clever motif as its elasticity symbolised the resilience and extraordinary adaptability of Hong Kong people. This is the second exhibition in our ‘Designing the Spectacle’ series. Setting our anchor in Hong Kong, we will explore the intricate relationship between designs for Festival of Hong Kong and the society. Moreover, it is not the exhibition’s purpose to romanticise the good old days of Hong Kong, nor is it aiming to reconstruct the merry scenes of the festival. Instead, we focus on investigating the role of design, its application, function and influence in a turbulent society. It is hoped that this exhibition will inspire us to reflect on the limitless roles design can still play even during disturbances in our society today. On the occasion that this year is the 50th anniversary of the Festival of Hong Kong, let us look back on the ‘rubber ball’—an exemplar of our optimism and elasticity—to cheer on ourselves with some positive mindsets during this difficult time in our society.