(From left) Mr Peter Ho, Chairman of Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), Mr Lim Eng Hwee, Chief Executive Officer, URA, Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for National Development and Minister-in-charge of Social Services Integration and Mr Shee Tse Koon, Group Executive & Country Head, DBS Singapore.
Asia’s leading sustainable light festival, i Light Singapore, marked its return on June 3, 2022, after a two-year hiatus with a mesmerising display of lights and colours, illuminating the Marina Bay area.
Organised by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and presented by DBS, this year’s edition of the Festival is themed Spark of Light, and features 20 captivating light art installations that add to the vibrancy of the precinct while encouraging conversations on sustainability. Minister for National Development and Minister-in-charge of Social Services Integration Desmond Lee officiated the Opening Ceremony of the Festival.
i Light Singapore 2022 will run till 26 June 2022, from 7.30pm to 11pm daily with extended hours to 12am on Fridays and Saturdays. Admission to the Festival is free, while charges apply for certain programmes.
Visit https://www.ilightsingapore.
i Light Singapore has 20 captivating light art installations that aim to spark fresh perspectives on the environment and world around us. The Festival will also offer an exciting line-up of programmes that will add to the vibrancy of the precinct while encouraging conversations on sustainability.
Artworks exploring environmental and sustainability issues
Curated to the theme Spark of Light, the 20 artworks by artists from 14 countries took inspiration from the colour violet, which has the shortest wavelength and most powerful electromagnetic energy in the visible light spectrum, and signifies the awakening of senses akin to the spark of an idea in one’s mind.
One highlight is MOTHEREARTH ClimateChange Data Sculpture by Turkish new media studio Ouchhh.
Presented in partnership with Marina Bay Sands, a video projection on the façade of ArtScience Museum will transform publicly available environmental
data, such as those obtained from local weather recordings, into a stunning visual treat comprising moving lights, colours and sounds.
Using artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms, the artwork turns data into an enjoyable sensory experience, while drawing attention to climate change issues.
The Festival will also spotlight artworks that explore environmental challenges the world is facing. For instance, Plastic Whale by Craig Neo from Singapore, and Feng Qiao, Liao Qingshuang and Li Jianwen from China, features an inflatable whale filled with recyclable plastic bottles and scraps, breathing in distress.
The artwork highlights the plight of marine creatures that are struggling to survive in their increasingly polluted homes. Meanwhile, Underworld by Aleksandra Stratimirovic from Sweden and Leonel Kaplan from Argentina depicts an imaginary undersea settlement with giant lanterns made of discarded fishing nets.
Against the backdrop of a soundscape featuring haunting echoes of the sea, the artwork calls attention to the fragility of our marine ecosystem.
Besides spotlighting environmental issues, the artworks will transform familiar public spaces at Marina Bay and Esplanade Park into dazzling landscapes.
Taking its spot in front of the Red Dot Design Museum, Light Canvas by local artist group Trial & Error invites visitors to experience an exchange of energy by temporarily “painting” their own artworks on a digital canvas using flashlights from their mobile phones. The installation aims to raise a series of contemplative questions: “Is the short-lived nature of what we do worth the energy expended? What is the cost of our actions on the environment and what are we willing to give up for a more sustainable future?”
The installation will also host a series of performances featuring dancers, calligraphers, illustrators and florists, who will interact with the installation creatively and leave their mark on the canvas.
The Festival will also showcase four student artworks, including Re-Act by Isabella Meo and Liang TaiLin from the National University of Singapore’s Department of Architecture, which was one of the artworks selected from the i Light Student Closed Call held last year.
The installation will feature a series of lights simulating water pollutants such as toxic dyes and untreated sewage trickling down the Queen Elizabeth Walk waterfront steps, to prompt visitors to reflect on the ways humans are polluting water systems.
Additionally, the lighting design symbolises cracks of collapsing icebergs caused by climate change, and seeks to instil in visitors a sense of urgency in battling global water pollution and rising sea levels.
An Open Call for the i Light Student Award was previously held in 2019, and two student artworks had been selected for the Festival in 2020 before it was cancelled due to the pandemic. These two winning artworks will be showcased at the Festival this year, together with two other student artworks selected from a separate Closed Call held last year with several local educational institutions.
i Light Singapore 2022 will also feature Waste Not Want Not, presented by the Festival’s presenting sponsor DBS. This eye-catching installation by local art collective, Tell Your Children, will feature four larger-than-life inflatable sculptures of fruits and vegetables commonly found in our homes, but with a stylised twist.
Depicting “ugly” food – which is in no way lacking in nutrition or taste, yet often ends up discarded as waste in the bins – this artwork challenges these stereotypes and prompts the question: “What makes food beautiful?” It implores visitors to look beyond the surface, rethink their choices, and consume more consciously in a world where food waste is a perennial and worsening problem.
The artwork installation is in line with DBS’ Towards Zero Food Waste initiative, which aims to galvanise multiple stakeholders into action towards zero food waste. Its efforts have generated more than 800,000 kg of food impact2 across Asia since the initiative was launched in 2020.
Bringing together fun and sustainability through a diverse range of programmes
Alongside the light art installations, the Festival will feature an exciting line-up of programmes and activities that promise a fun-filled and enriching experience for families and friends.
At GastroBeats, a 14,200sqm Festival Village to be set up at Bayfront Event Space, visitors can eat to their heart’s content at Local Streets, which will spotlight Singapore’s dynamic hawker and street food culture.
One can also meet acclaimed chefs from around the region as they converge at Culinary Masters, where a different collaboration menu will be presented each week by celebrity chef Sarah Todd, and chefs George Calombaris, Genevieve Lee and Derek Cheong of MasterChef fame. Families and friends can also explore Art Zone, and the kids and young at heart can get their hearts pumping at Jumptopia’s gigantic food-themed inflatable playground.
For visitors looking to deepen their festival experience, they can learn more about lighting design and activating spaces by participating in Light Forum, comprising a series of tours, talks and workshops conducted by industry experts.
Those interested in lighting design can sign up for the Light Tour led by professional lighting designers, and find out how lighting design has been woven intricately into our city. Lighting Guerrilla, on the other hand, will feature two student workshops that focus on experimenting with light and spontaneity, and culminate in temporary lighting installations that will be showcased at Jubilee Bridge and Bayfront Bridge.
Over at The Lawn at Marina Bay, drone enthusiasts can try their hands at operating luminous drones at Drone Nation, presented by the Marina Bay Alliance. Skilled drone flyers can race against other professionals at the exhilarating Racing Arena complete with a neon light obstacle course, while first-timers can learn the basics from expert trainers at the Experience Arena.
The Festival will continue to raise awareness of sustainability and encourage the community to adopt an eco-conscious lifestyle. Visitors can participate in i Quest to pick up tips on sustainability and stand a chance to win prizes.
Using the SusGain3 rewards app, participants can go around Marina Bay to learn about the sustainability considerations behind each artwork.
They can also pledge to adopt sustainable habits in their everyday lives on the Festival website as part of the i Light i Pledge initiative. In addition, as part of the Festival’s signature Switch Off, Turn Up campaign, building owners, corporations and businesses around and beyond Marina Bay will switch off non-essential lightings and turn up air-conditioning temperatures throughout the duration of the Festival to reduce energy consumption.
Mr Jason Chen, Festival Director and Director (Place Management) of URA, said: “From thought-provoking artworks to immersive programmes that encourage sustainable habits, i 3 SusGain is a social enterprise on a mission to make sustainable living in Singapore more accessible, fun and rewarding to drive the change towards a more sustainable nation. Light Singapore will once again illuminate Marina Bay with a kaleidoscope of colours through the works of some of the most creative minds in Singapore and beyond. We look forward to welcoming visitors back to this much-anticipated Festival after a two-year hiatus.”
The Festival will be held from 3 to 26 June 2022, from 7.30pm to 11pm daily with extended hours to 12am on Fridays and Saturdays. Admission is free, while charges apply for certain programmes.
Visit https://www.ilightsingapore.
Programmes at i Light Singapore 2022
Light Forum is a curated series of talks, tours and workshops that will take place on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays throughout the Festival. Featuring professionals from the art, design, and sustainability fields, these informative and interactive sessions offer visitors a deeper understanding of the Festival’s artworks and related topics such as lighting design and sustainability.
* Talks: Enhance your understanding of the artworks by listening to local and international artists and professionals share about topics ranging from lighting design, art to sustainability.
Dates: 4, 11, 18, 25 June
Location: DBS MBFC Auditorium – 12 Marina Boulevard Tower 3, #3 Level, Marina Bay Financial Centre, 018982
Supported by DBS
* Light Tour: Explore the world of lighting design by joining walking tours led by members of the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD). Participants can interact with lighting designers and find out how lighting design has been woven intricately into our city.
Dates: 4, 18 June
Location: National Gallery Singapore, PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay
*Lighting Guerrilla: On the last two days of the Festival, visit Jubilee Bridge and Bayfront Bridge for a showcase of temporary lighting installations put together by students from local educational institutions who had earlier participated in workshops focusing on experimentation with light and spontaneity.
Dates: 25, 26 June
Location: Jubilee Bridge, under Bayfront Bridge
GastroBeats
GastroBeats, the ultimate festival for those who enjoy good food and fun vibes, promises an exciting lineup of live performances, delicious food options from renowned local and international culinary personalities, graffiti art, and a massive food-themed inflatable park.
Whether you’re looking to enjoy some good eats or have some fun, GastroBeats has something for everyone.
The 14,200sqm urban lifestyle park offers a variety of experiences. A walk down Local Streets will allow you a taste of Singapore’s dynamic hawker and street food culture, while acclaimed chefs from around the region will converge at Culinary Masters with a different collaboration menu presented each week by Sarah Todd and chefs George Calombaris,Genevieve Lee and Derek Cheong of MasterChef fame.
Explore Singapore’s vibrant street art scene at the Art Zone, and the kids (and young at heart) can get their heart pumping at Jumptopia’s gigantic food-themed inflatable playground.
GastroBeats will be open from 4pm – 10.30pm daily from 3 – 26 June 2022. Admission tickets start from $9 (not inclusive of food and drink). This is a cashless event.
Tickets are available on Klook: https://www.klook.com/en-SG/
Light Wash
In line with the Festival’s colour theme this edition, buildings and bridges around the Bay will be lit up in a violet hue on Festival nights, complementing the light art installations and providing visitors a charming festive ambience.
Drone Nation @ The Lawn
Presented by the pilot Business Improvement District, Marina Bay Alliance, Drone Nation @ The Lawn invites visitors from all walks of life to try their hands at operating luminous drones within a large drone cage, and also participate in a series of programmes that promote awareness on sustainability.
Tours guided by Let’s Go Tours
Join experienced guides from Let’s Go Tours on foot or on bicycles as they take visitors on a guided journey to look at the Festival from different perspectives, and introduce the artworks as well as landmarks around Marina Bay through interesting trivia and stories.
Rediscover Marina Bay Walking Tour
Discover how the sea was transformed into a distinctive and sustainable district in the heart of our city. Find out what lies beneath Marina Bay to support sustainable living, and how urban planners sculpted a skyline that is distinctively Singapore.
Get the story behind the centrepiece of Singapore’s transformation efforts by joining this special 90-minute walking tour led by URA volunteers, before commencing your experience at i Light Singapore 2022.
Available on selected Wednesdays. Sign up here: https://www.
Switch Off, Turn Up
A key component of the Festival’s sustainability efforts since its inception in 2010, the ‘Switch Off, Turn Up’ (SOTU) campaign promotes energy efficiency by rallying organisations around Marina Bay and beyond to switch off non-essential lightings and turn up their air conditioning temperatures. Stakeholders are also encouraged to continue practising these energy-saving habits beyond the Festival period.
i Light Singapore x SusGain
The Festival is pleased to partner SusGain, a social enterprise on a mission to make sustainable living in Singapore more convenient, fun and rewarding, on the following two initiatives:
* i Light i Pledge – Visitors are invited to pledge to take up sustainable habits and learn more about how they can put their commitment into action at the Festival and beyond.
* i Quest – Festival-goers can pick up tips on sustainability and stand a chance to win prizes. Using the susGain rewards app https://www.susgain.com/, participants can go around Marina Bay to learn about the sustainability considerations behind each artwork. Take the pledge and join the quest here: https://www.ilightsingapore.
For more information on the programmes, please visit https://www.ilightsingapore.
Lightwave: Isle of Light
Embark on a specially constructed floating pontoon above the Marina Bay waterbody for a multi-sensory journey that will awaken your senses!
Visitors will traverse through an alternate universe comprising five unique zones with immersive features filled with imagination and creativity – from enchanting holographic projections, illuminated motion-capture graphics and shadow play, to light beams that remind one of a mystical forest – and be treated to a unique light art showcase that heralds new possibilities.
Mr Dylan Yu, Marketing Director of OPPO Singapore said, “i Light Singapore’s focus on raising awareness of sustainability is aligned with OPPO’s mission of ‘technology for mankind, kindness for the world’. We are excited to be part of the Festival for the second time as it returns after a two-year hiatus.
Through Lightwave: Isle of Light, we hope to bring visitors an ethereal, multisensory light experience and allow photo fanatics to capture the allure of night. With the light installation shaped like a tunnel, we aim to create the feeling of excitement and wonder, as we emerge from the pandemic with the promise of new possibilities ahead.”
Location:
Marina Bay Lower Boardwalk (near Red Dot Design Museum)
Timing: Weekdays: Sunday to Thursday – 7.30PM to 11.00PM (Last experience at 10.30PM)
Weekends: Friday & Saturday – 7.30PM to 12.00AM (Last experience at 11.30PM)
Ticketing:
Weekday ticket – $8
Weekend tickets – $10
Bundle of 4 weekday tickets – $28
Bundle of 4 weekend tickets – $36
Bundle of 5 or more weekday tickets – $6 each
Bundle of 5 or more weekend tickets – $8 each
Tickets can be purchased from Klook.
Five zones
Through the Unknown
Glowing triangular structures welcome visitors, inviting them to explore new possibilities as they take the path less travelled.
The Seasons
A holographic mesh displays an enchanting projection depicting different moments in our lives through the four seasons.
Reflections
Lights and shadows will react to movements made in front of this interactive installation, which aims to inspire visitors to paint the world with their
personalities.
The Prism
Visitors are invited to step into a prism with walls that reflect animation from a LED floor depicting the galaxy. The kaleidoscope-like visual effect conveys the different expressions that give the world its colours.
Forest of Lights
Colourful light tubes representing trees recreate the immersive experience of being in a forest, and remind visitors of the beauty and vibrancy that
nature offers.
