The changing face of Hong Kong typography

Acrylic signboards are cheap and effective ways to provide information. Samples of the familiar red lettering on a white background can still be spotted in the older districts of Hong Kong. The exhibition examines ways in which characters have been paired with backgrounds to achieve a particular effect as well as a variety of standardized calligraphic Chinese scripts that were in use.

For example, slim, uncomplicated fonts are used in road signs so that drivers can read them fast and easily. The exhibition demonstrates how the legibility of English and Chinese road signs can be enhanced by using contrasting white paint on a dark gray pavement and the stylized characters that are typically employed.

Neon signage is an art form closely associated with Hong Kong's nightlife and given its proper place of honor at the exhibition. A kiosk outlines how thin glass tubes are shaped with high heat to form characters and filled with different gases to create a range of colors.