His brother learned the trade autodidact but had some help, according to Endang, from the remnants of an initiative at Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), where they researched neon signs back in the 60s until the 70s. These shaped tubes are injected with the inert/noble gas corresponding to the desired colors.Įndang learned the art of making neon signs from his brother in the 1980s for two years. Glass tubes of various lengths and thicknesses are heated in an open-gas furnace, rendering the tubes glowing red and thus malleable and, only then, carefully shaped into the desired forms or letters. Making a conventional neon sign would require an exact procedure that involves particular technical know-how a keen eye for details and a good, if not excellent, sense of craftsmanship. Some initiatives, for instance, like London’s God’s Own Junkyard or Hong Kong’s Tetra Neon Exchange, treat neon signs within the realms of artworks and antiques/vintages, although both differ in their underlying missions. “And it can be considered an ‘antique’, maybe?” he continued. “It’s a genuine art form,” Endang said, regarding making neon signs. In a way, they are a closely-knit community. Djuanda, Bandung, some of the players that submitted their work proposals were ones that usually maakloon (an absorbed Dutch word used to refer to outsourced work) their works to him. Other players in the city, such as Rajawali Neon and Aneka Reklame, he said, to name a few, could be better too in a 2008 job with Golden Money Changer in Jl. I’m not interested in it.” In those cases, Endang would often pass the job along to his colleagues, taking a small percentage as a success fee to get by. New customers, however, are more familiar with the current definition of “neon”, which is not what Endang dabbles in. “I don’t do LED jobs,” he claimed proudly. The flexible nature of the aptly named “neon flex” made it possible for even laymen to mimic the output of neon signs Endang brashly rejected the term “neon” to be even associated with the LED. He spoke of the LED with a tinge of bitterness as he massaged his forehead with his right hand. The said form of LED lighting, according to Endang, was the last nail in the coffin for the neon sign industry in Indonesia. “Give it a year or two, and the light will give out. “These days, the opticians are using LED neon flex,” said Endang, responding to my recollection. (JP/Anindito Ariwandono) (JP/Anindito Ariwandono) Talk shop: Endang standing in the middle of his workshop in Bandung. It was unlike anything I had seen before in my brief seven years of existence. The glow’s depth was remarkably compelling. Its charm, however, is an entirely different subject.Īs a child, one could remember staring at the curious red glow of the spectacles-shaped neon sign displayed at the optician where my parents often went. According to some local makers and advertising companies, some of the transformers used in conventional neon signs are not even imported into Indonesia anymore, further diminishing their relevance in today’s world. Real neon signs are significantly more expensive in terms of production and operating costs as they require more electricity. Endang is one of the last remaining neon-sign artisans in Bandung, West Java, and might be of the previous generation if they do not see any rekindled interest in the dying art form that ultimately leads to more demands. “I think the first neon sign in Indonesia was the one they made for Hotel Indonesia in 1962,” said Endang Saepudin, speaking to The Jakarta Post on May 1.
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