A Moment of Light: Jive Lau's "The Golden Lion of Neon Flames" Reimagines Lion Dance Culture

Tradition need not remain unchanged to endure. Hong Kong artist Jive Lau believes that transformation can be its way of living on.

A Spirit Coiled, Ready to Move

"What draws me to the lion dance isn't just its fierce presence—it's the sense of readiness it holds even when still," he says. Neon has something similar. Before it's lit, it's just quiet glass tubing. The instant light appears, it takes on warmth and presence.

Where Two Crafts Meet

Bringing neon’s flat radiance into a lion head of depth and character was the greatest challenge. “The whole process was about finding balance between two traditional crafts,” Lau reflects. The neon is not decoration, but the lion’s bones, veins, and pulse.

He hopes viewers linger past the photo, watching how light travels along the curves of the head. "This glowing lion is both a blessing and a symbol of courage—a sign that the city's culture can keep shining."

Lau believes tradition doesn't have to be preserved in its original form alone. Sometimes, transformation is what carries it forward. “The Golden Lion of Neon Flames” glowing inside MGM's art-filled space proves the point—neon and paper-craft, two crafts that rarely cross paths, finally meeting on one stage. Where this light travels next may be a question the next generation answers.

MGM goes beyond showcasing lion dance culture, bringing together inheritors, artists, and the public to explore its next possibility.