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Nostalgic photographs that capture Hong Kong in its prime in the 1970s and '80s

The Way We Were is a photographic journey down memory lane through the vast collection of work by the iconic Keith Macgregor that throws you back to Hong Kong during its prime: namely the 1970s and '80s.

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All images courtesy of the artist and Blue Lotus Gallery. Via Creative Boom submission.

All images courtesy of the artist and Blue Lotus Gallery. Via Creative Boom submission.

The exhibition, at Blue Lotus Gallery in Hong Kong, bursts with nostalgic street scenes steeped in colonial and local culture, city panoramas and images of life on the sea in full colour and black and white.

Importantly, this also marks the first show featuring a selection of Macgregor’s latest series titled Neon Fantasies – a passion project where the artist imagines a reverse reality where the city multiplies in illuminated neon signs.

Photographed street scenes are digitally collaged with photographs of the greatest, now mostly lost neon signs creating Blade Runner-esque images that are simultaneously historical and futuristic.

In fact, Macgregor’s own life story exemplifies the era in question, full of playful ambition, entrepreneurial spirit, chance encounters and good old hard work. The Way We Were expresses a city abound in colour, diversity and optimism, a documentation and flashback to a time where the "Hong Kong Dream" was forged and people went "all in" on the game of life.

Keith Macgregor: The Way We Were runs from 3–18 November 2018 at the Blue Lotus Gallery in Hong Kong. More at: www.bluelotus-gallery.com.

Busy Hong Kong street scene from the 1970s-80s with red and white double-decker trams, red neon signs with Chinese characters, and crowds of pedestrians and cyclists
Traditional Chinese junk with crimson sails sailing in Victoria Harbour with Hong Kong's skyline and mountains in the background
Overhead view of a crowded Hong Kong street lined with colourful residential buildings, shops and laundry hanging from balconies in the 1970s-80s
Traditional Chinese junk boat with red and cream sails on blue water under clear sky, captured during Hong Kong's 1970s and '80s maritime era
Densely packed neon signs with Chinese characters and English text illuminate a Hong Kong street at night, with pedestrians and vehicles below creating a vibrant urban scene
A green sports field in central Hong Kong surrounded by colonial and modern high-rise buildings with a distinctive domed structure in the background
Neon signs in vibrant reds, blues, yellows and greens illuminate a Hong Kong street at night, with light trails from vehicles streaking across the road below the densely packed signage.
Vietnamese fishermen in traditional conical hats work on wooden boats laden with nets and cargo in Hong Kong waters during the 1970s or 80s
Aerial view of a crowded Hong Kong street lined with colourful shop signs, vehicles and pedestrians during the 1970s-80s era
Red-painted building with Chinese characters and vintage signage alongside a traditional stone structure with weathered walls in a Hong Kong street scene
Densely packed neon signs in red, yellow and blue characters illuminate a Hong Kong street scene at night, with silhouetted pedestrians visible below the glowing facades
Traditional Chinese junk sailing boat with tan sails on Hong Kong harbour with dense skyscrapers and green hillside in background
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