Erizku’s practice has always been underpinned by the possibilities and impact of neon and light works, starting with his senior thesis at The Cooper Union, New York, for which he transformed Barack Obama’s Twitter handle into a large-scale neon work, and continuing in his exhibition at the FLAG Art Foundation in New York, in which he emblazoned the words ‘Addis Ababa’ in Amharic script (the official language of Ethiopia)— the literal translation of the exhibit title, New Flower. The artist has since included neon works in his subsequent exhibitions, alongside his paintings, photographs and installations.

Black Love (2021) builds on Erizku’s tradition of working in neon and simultaneously referencing the indelible history and iconic significance of neon signage in Hong Kong’s streets and skyline.