i-Light Singapore is back this year along the iconic Marina Bay, offering a festival of lights, art, and a spectacular night out. This 2024 event features stunning light displays and interactive installations. Let’s delve into what you can expect at this dazzling event!
First, a bit of history: i-Light Singapore began in 2010, touted as the first sustainable light art festival in Asia, promoting sustainability through art. Initially, it featured just tad a few installations, but it has since grown into a major event on Singapore’s cultural calendar. Each year, artists from around the world showcase their talents against the backdrop of Marina Bay’s skyline and waterfront views.
A Marina bay loop from South beach
Furthermore, this year’s theme is “Nature Nurtured,” focusing on the harmonious coexistence of nature and urban life. The festival boasts 14 light displays spread around the Marina Bay district and reservoir, with additional exhibits at South Beach and Millenia Walk shopping mall. The area is easily accessible by public transport, with convenient MRT stations at Bayfront and Marina Bay, as well as numerous nearby bus routes into the downtown district.
Additionally, I embarked on an anticlockwise route around Marina Bay, starting from South Beach, passing through Jubilee Bridge, Merlion Park, Clifford Pier, and circling around the Promontory towards Marina Bay Sands (MBS) and the GastroBeats event grounds, concluding at Millenia Walk.
Starting at South Beach, you’ll find “Lumi” by Ye Sul E. Cho, Sara Ibrahim, and Suz Ibrahim. Located at the Fountain Plaza, this installation features rolls of plastic bottles arranged in an enclosure, emphasizing the use of recycled materials to minimize the event’s carbon footprint.
Also at South Beach is “Lantern” by Josephine Pun Tsz Kiu from Hong Kong and the National University of Singapore (NUS). This exhibit, composed of a line of gym balls strung together, is interactive and located at the Courtyard between South Beach Tower and the Level 1 Grand Ballroom.
Marina Bay and Clifford Square displays
Moreover, crossing Jubilee Bridge towards Merlion Park leads to “Moving Fountain of Happiness” by 27June, an interactive installation featuring swings and light tubes resembling fountains. This exhibit, suitable for all ages, is presented by The Fullerton Heritage in collaboration with Alibaba Cloud.
Heading west towards the NTUC Building, you’ll encounter “Alchemy of Atmospheres” by Janez Grošelj from Slovenia. This installation consists of vertical lighting poles that flash at random intervals, creating an auditory visual spectacle inspired by atmospheric conditions. Note the epilepsy warning due to bright sudden flashes.
Giant rocks at The Promontory
At The Promontory, a notable highlight is “Iwagumi Air Scape” by ENESS from Australia. Inspired by the Japanese art form of Iwagumi, this exhibit features large inflatable rocks in a variety of sizes scattered across an open grassy space flanked by tall sky skyscapers. It creates for a scene of urban aqua-scaping.
Additionally, The Promontory hosts the LSG x TCF: Wellness Workshop on World Yoga Day, part of The Conscious Festival’s Green Talks (on sustainable practices) and Wellness Activities. These sessions, held during i-Light Singapore, cover topics such as climate action, conservation, and sustainable innovation, providing inspiration for those passionate about making a difference.
Furthermore, The Conscious Festival offers educational workshops on sustainability, including zero-waste living, sustainable fashion, and green technology. Wellness activities like yoga and meditation classes are also available, providing a relaxing complement to the vibrant light displays.
Wrapping up at The Promontory is “BOB the Nice World” by BOB the Nice Guy from Thailand, in collaboration with Awakening Bangkok. This inflatable sculpture, depicting a whimsical line-drawn character with projected cartoon animations, is located near the entrance of Marina Bay Link Mall.
Arc and Liminal spaces at the Olympic Walk boardwalk
Moving along the Marina Bay Olympic Walk boardwalk, the path near the Red Dot Design Museum features a concentration of exhibits. If you spot tiny light jumping in and out of the Reservoir water, you are not mistaken. One standout is “Fish are Jumping” by Studio Toer from the Netherlands, an installation of floating lit pendulum arms that create the illusion of jumping fish in the reservoir.
Additionally, just off the giant chair (Horizon Bench) is the “Arc ZERO: Nimbus” by Studio James Tapscott from Australia. It is located at the pontoon barge near the Red Dot Design Museum, features a ring of mist encircling a floating walkway. Notably, this Pontoon area used to be a ticketed area for light shows, but is open for public access this on this year’s i-lights event. However, do expect long queues for this attraction given a capacity limitation on the floating barge.
Also nearby is “Liminal; Minimal” by Benjamin Lim from the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), located at the waterfront promenade in front of the Red Dot Design Museum. This exhibit comprises of a mix of wire netting strung over a series of wooden-framed huts. It depicts the unseen waste which lurks in our built environment, emphasising a silent witness to the development of a modern city and its excesses.
GastroBeats Marketplace and live music
Furthermore, GastroBeats, located at the Bayfront Event Space, is a night market festival highlight of i-Light Singapore. Open from 4 PM to 11 PM daily, this area features street food vendors, live music, and an atas night market with rows of eateries, pop-up shops selling clothing and pet items.
There’s also live music to enjoy. Coruscate of local bands and musicians will perform, adding to the vibrant atmosphere. Also, there is also a small carnival amusement center operated by Uncle Ringo amusements. It’s a family-friendly zone with attractions like bumper cars.
Also, this area is also the venue of the TCF x iLSG Marketplace as well as their Wellness Workshops held on weekends in June at the MBS Event Plaza. In addition, you can find pop up booths by event sponsors, such as play areas by Coca Cola, Food panda hawking merchandise and Asahi beer with their beer garden.
Interestingly, going on the sustainability theme, the installations here at GastroBeats uses energy-efficient lights. For instance has all the flood lights powered by batteries on-site by Go power rentals, Interesting indeed.
Marina Bay Sands Kinetic and Dandelion lights
Additionally, back to the light exhibits, just outside the GastroBeats venue is “Spin Me a Yarn” by Studio Vertigo from the UK. It features several oversized lit yarn balls with long trails looping and strung around their surroundings in a variety of light colours.
Moreover, at the Marina Bay Sands Event Plaza is “Pure Ring” by Xu Dongliang from China. It is made in collaboration with Glow Shenzhen, offering a modern twist on musical chairs with color-changing polycarbonate fiberglass cylinder tubes you can sit on. Also, the lights will change colour when you are on it, or when you tap the sensor at the top of the cylinder.
Also at Marina Bay Sands front courtyard, “Kinetic Perspective” by Juan Fuentes Studio from Spain presents an immersive geometric experience inspired by the Optical Art Movement of the 1960s.
Additionally, this exhibit features motorized looping light rings alternating between purple, blue, and white hues. They are like kinetic rings floating in space.
Furthermore, here at Marina Bay Sands is another impressive light piece called the “Dandelion”. It is quite an impressive light sculpture by Amigo & Amigo from Australia. It is easily one of my favourite light exhibit at this year’s show.
Also, this large sculpture, shaped like a squished dandelion, allows visitors to interact with touch elements inside to control the lights. The display includes a commissioned musical score by Otis Studio.
Wrapping up i-light 2024
Lastly, “Modern Guru and the Path to Artificial Happiness” by ENESS from Australia is located inside Millenia Walk mall. This installation juxtaposes the timeless archetype of a guru with modern themes of artificial happiness.
Here, it comprises of an inflatable “robot” which sits inside an impressive inflatable castle. The robot spews out random printed lines of text as when it detects a visitor, spilling out of it “mouth” onto the floor in a rather humorous way.
Notably, this year’s event feels tad smaller than last year’s event. Also, there are no audio visual projections on the facade of the Art Science museum exterior facade this year. Though it was a staple of past year’s i-lights events.
All in all, that wraps out our exploration of i-Light 2024 Singapore. You are good to explore the entire Marina Bay loop in about 2-3 hours in good weather. The event is tad a feast for the senses, offering interactive installations that engage visitors in a celebration of art, light, and sustainability. Whether you’re a local or a tourist, it’s a must-see event of the night. i-Light Singapore 2024 runs from 31 May till 23 June 2024.
