The June holidays are officially upon us. If you haven’t been able to book an overseas trip, there’s no need to look further than our city home for excitement.
From 1 to 25 June, Marina Bay will transform into a mesmerising arena of lights for i Light Singapore 2023.
Nicely coinciding with the school holiday period, the event will give families something to do if they have no other plans yet.
This year, they can explore as far as South Beach and Millenia Walk, so there’s definitely more to see and experience.
The theme of this year’s event is ‘A New Wave‘, which aims to challenge viewers to contemplate their relationship with the natural environment.
Hence, blue is a common colour that appears in most of the artworks. It symbolises nature’s blue spaces, such as oceans and rivers.
Through these light installations, i Light Singapore hopes to inspire viewers to contribute to a more sustainable future.
Near the Bayfront Event Space, visitors will see ‘Blumiwave’, a creation by local company DP Design.
The massive structure comprises everyday materials from construction sites, such as scaffolding and safety nets weaved into fabric, all coming together as an interpretation of blue energy.
By transforming what most consider to be unsightly objects into gorgeous waves, ‘Blumiwave’ invites viewers to seek possibilities in the mundane.
A short distance away is ‘Glacier Dreams’, a light show on the façade of the ArtScience Museum, by US artist Refik Anadol.
The projection comprises visual materials from publicly available data, institutional archives, as well as glacier images Anadol collected himself in Iceland.
These visuals pass through machine learning algorithms before turning into Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based multi-sensory narratives.
Through this poetic installation, the artist hopes to raise awareness of climate change and rising sea levels.
Besides larger-than-life artworks that you can admire, there are also those with which visitors can interact.
In the day, the Marina Bay Financial Centre bears a striking presence thanks to the many skyscrapers. At night, nature takes over at ‘Block Party’, the brainchild of Jeremy Lin, Jedy Chan and Dexter Hong from Singapore’s Plug & Play.
In stark contrast to the surrounding concrete buildings, the installation features HDB blocks that shift and react to visitors’ movement prompts.
With the use of motion sensors, visitors can bend and twist the blocks as greeneries bloom.
Such interactions highlight the dynamic relationship between humans and buildings, reminding us of the power we have to make an impact on our surroundings.
After playing around with structures that reach up to the sky, dive into the depths of the ocean at ‘Lightwave: Turning the Tide’ by Alibaba Cloud. Situated right by the waterfront at The Promontory @ Marina Bay, the immersive experience takes visitors on a multi-sensorial light adventure ‘under the sea’.
But it’s not a fantastical underwater world like in ‘The Little Mermaid’. Instead, the artwork imagines one where humans have ruined our environment to no return.
Seeing the damage that would otherwise be invisible in our daily lives, visitors will hopefully be inspired to make a change while they still can.
The unique installation also features an Instagram filter that allows visitors to engage with the artwork more closely.
Since everything happens within an enclosed space, you’ll have to book tickets to enter, which you can get via Klook.
Once you’ve come up for air, take a stroll amidst the trees near Clifford Pier, where purple ‘Trumpet Flowers’ by Amigo & Amigo from Australia stand tall.
Inspired by gramophones, the sculpture features a gorgeous musical garden of unusually large flowers that resemble their namesake instrument.
In between the stalks are interactive keys, which anyone can click to produce melodious, jazzy tunes. Now you can enjoy a lovely night out under the stars with ‘live’ music at no extra cost.
Sharing the ‘stage’ with established artists are students who’ve gotten the chance to display their unique art pieces too.
One such artwork is ‘Bleached’ at South Beach Avenue by Berenice Chao Zong Xin and Nicky Josephine Tjandra from Nanyang Technological University (NTU)’s School of Art, Design and Media (ADM).
To make the ‘reefs’ with ‘seaweed’ and ‘coral’ growing from them, the students developed seaweed bioplastics and upcycled single-use plastics. These ‘reefs’ turn white briefly upon touch or sensing movement, alluding to coral bleaching.
Such a phenomenon is the result of global warming, highlighting the gravity of our actions on the environment.
Close by at the South Beach Main Entrance is ‘Show III’. A collaboration between Chen Jiawen from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) and Lai Ling Ling from James Cook University, the artwork resembles outdoor shower facilities.
Stand under one of them and bask in the calm blue light as a peaceful soundscape lulls you into relaxation.
Moments into doing that, you’d probably realise that you’re basically ‘showering’ without water. You’ll then wonder what that would feel like in an actual shower, and hopefully reflect on your water usage.
Even if those things don’t cross your mind, you’ll at least enjoy some serenity amidst the bustling city.
With so many things to see and do, you’d need a plan to cover everything at i Light Singapore 2023.
Starting at the Event Square where the first artwork is located would thus be best. Here’s how to get there:
Event Square
Address: 12A Bayfront Ave, Marina Bay, Singapore
Opening hours: Sun-Thu 7.30pm-11pm, Fri & Sat 7.30pm-12am
Event dates: 1-25 June 2023
Nearest MRT: Bayfront Station
Below is also a map to help you navigate the festival:
Image courtesy of i Light Singapore 2023
Looking at the scale of i Light Singapore 2023, visitors will surely be expecting events and activities galore.
Those who need to refuel or want to enjoy good music can drop by GastroBeats at the Bayfront Event Space.
Image courtesy of i Light Singapore 2023
Featuring 50 local F&B vendors, visitors can satisfy their cravings without leaving the festival venue.
There are also bouncy castles for parents to keep their little ones entertained.
For more information, you may visit the official festival website.
Whether you’re spending time with family or a significant other, i Light Singapore has something for everyone.
Get your cameras ready to snap beautiful photos as the sky turns dark and the lights take over.
We’re sure you’d want to capture countless memories of moments from the event which only comes once a year.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image by MS News. Photography by Iqmall Hayat.
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