i Light Singapore returns from 1 June to 25 June 2023 with 14 captivating light installations and a line-up of programmes.
i Light Singapore 2023 is Asia’s leading sustainable light festival organised by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and presented by DBS.
View this post on Instagram
This year’s edition, themed “A New Wave,” features light art installations by 22 artists from around the world that will illuminate Marina Bay, as well as two new locations, South Beach and Millenia Walk.
As part of the i Light Singapore’s Visible Light narrative, the festival will explore the blue hue of the light spectrum. Blue is omnipresent in nature’s blue spaces like oceans and rivers. It is often connected with emotions like calmness and serenity.
These art installations are more than a mere photo opportunities. They are both a tribute to the beauty of our natural environment as well as a space for you to contemplate the state of our planet. These nature-inspired installations evoke a sense of calm and serenity while emphasizing the importance of sustainability and our role in building a better future.
Experience A New Wave of Creativity
Prepare to be amazed by the diverse group of artists behind this year’s art lineup! From local talent to renowned international names and budding student designers, they drew inspiration from the colour blue and utilise sustainable materials and interactive approaches to spotlight nature’s blue spaces such as oceans and rivers in different forms of light installations.
One example is Turkish-American media artist Refik Anadol, who will present Glacier Dreams, a large-scale projection on the façade of ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands.
Using visual data on the world’s glaciers, this mesmerising artwork brings to life multi-sensory narratives driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI), raising awareness of rising sea levels and climate change.
Regarded as a pioneer in the aesthetics of data and machine intelligence, Anadol’s artworks have been exhibited on six continents across 50 cities worldwide. His artificial intelligence data paintings were recently featured as part of the set design of the 65th Grammy Awards, and impressed with visuals originating from 300 million photographs of nature and long-term research on the photographic history of space exploration.
For a whimsical celebration of nature, check out the Sydney-based art collective, Amigo & Amigo, and their stunning artwork Trumpet Flowers. Surrounded by towering flower sculptures between two and six metres tall, you can be a part of the artwork based on your emotions by playing with the interactive keys to compose a unique sound and light show.
Singaporean collective Plug & Play has created the interactive installation Block Party, where you are encouraged to dance and let loose in front of familiar public housing blocks that spontaneously bloom with digital gardens in response to movement. This fun and lighthearted artwork serves as a reminder of our power to shape our surroundings and make a positive impact on the environment.
New Artwork Locations: South Beach and Millenia Walk
The Festival is expanding its reach and partnering up with South Beach Consortium and Pontiac Land to bring you more inspiration at South Beach and Millenia Walk.
South Beach is featuring two student artworks. Bleached, created by students from Nanyang Technological University’s School of Art, Design and Media, invites you to explore a simulated ocean floor adorned with ‘seaweed’ and ‘corals’. The ‘reefs’ were made using seaweed bioplastics or upcycled single-use plastics. These ‘reefs’ fade to white upon detecting movement, symbolising the fate of threatened marine ecosystems due to degradation.
Meanwhile, Show III, created by students from James Cook University and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, offers an audio-visual interpretation of a shower experience, providing a space for introspection and reflection on our water consumption habits.
Over at Millenia Walk, check out Prism, by Malaysian artist Jun Ong, an installation that transforms from a natural light shaft in the day to a glowing beacon of artificial lighting at night, creating an ever-changing interplay of colours that is hypnotic and calming.
New immersive AI-Powered Light Experience at The Promontory
View this post on Instagram
Complementing the artworks is Lightwave: Turning the Tide, presented by Alibaba Cloud, a new immersive light experience at The Promontory. Alibaba Cloud unveiled its latest sustainability solution with an immersive light experience that puts a spotlight on sustainability and encourages greener lifestyle choices.
Come embark on a journey to a future where rising sea levels have submerged humans in an underwater world. Through compelling and thought-provoking light displays across three chapters, you will learn and contemplate the repercussions of human actions on the environment, and be inspired to make a change to turn the tide.
Apart from the artwork, check out these exciting programmes:
View this post on Instagram
Deepen your festival experience at Light Forum, featuring talks and workshops by lighting designers and artists covering the future of nightscapes, sustainable lighting design, and enhancing well-being and human connections.
Experience a feast for the senses at GastroBeats in Bayfront Event Space! Indulge in mouth-watering cuisines from 50 local vendors, groove to live music, and enjoy carnival fun.
DBS zone offers interactive experiences and instagrammable installations on self-care, sustainability, and future-readiness.
Pledging Commitments for a Greener Future
Get involved in meaningful initiatives to learn about eco-friendly practices and help create a sustainable future, all while enjoying stunning light art installations. Let’s shine a light on sustainability and have some fun along the way!
View this post on Instagram
This year, there are two awesome ways you can show your support for sustainability. First up, the Switch Off, Turn Up pledge (SOTU) – it’s all about switching off non-essential lightings and turning up air-conditioning temperatures. It’s super easy and it’s been a huge success since 2010, with over 100 businesses and building owners reducing their energy usage in 2022.
View this post on Instagram
Second up, the Be a Zero Hero pledge is all about ditching those single-use items and reducing waste. Oh, and here’s the best part – for every pledge submitted, All Clear – a sustainability enterprise providing offshore and ocean clean-ups will remove 100g of waste from Singapore waterways, up to 500kg in total.
You can stand to win attractive prizes by taking part in i Light i Pledge, presented by Alibaba Cloud here.
Visit i Light Festival 2023 and Stand A Chance to Win a 2D1N staycation
Head down to Marina Bay and immerse yourself in the luminous landscape of i Light. Plus, you might just score yourself a 2D1N staycation!
View this post on Instagram
i Light Singapore 2023 is happening from 1 to 25 June 2023, 7.30 pm to 11 pm daily with extended hours to 12.00am on Fridays and Saturdays. Admission is free, while charges apply for certain programmes. More details are available here.
