My town used to be a bit famous for its neon signs. Most of them are gone now for reasons I never understood since everybody you ask says they like them. There are a few neat ones preserved in a shed or nightclub because someone took the trouble, and it's not like they are all gone, but they are now an oddity instead of the obviously best way to tell the people you have a florist's shop or jewelry store or cafe.
Somebody made a movie about the neon lights of Vancouver. One thing I remember from that was the idea that our wet streets from our famous amounts of rain made the neon look even better.
Luckily some artists have stepped in and started using neon as a medium. Two signs have shown up in my town recently, both using simple white capital letters to make a statement instead of displaying the name of a business. One is attached to the exterior wall of an old building in Chinatown, high up so you can see it from all over. It is the work of a British artist.
The other was shown at a contemporary art gallery in Vancouver earlier this year. I'm not sure where it is now, but it's the work of a Vancouver artist.
I'm hoping this is a bit of a trend and my town might one day get back its standing as a great place to see neon signs. On the gloomiest drizzly night, there's nothing as welcome as a happy light that says OPEN.
