Wei Ting Neo
Singapore’s annual sustainable light festival is back once again with the theme, Cyclical Nature!
i Light Singapore is Asia’s leading sustainable light festival that showcases light installations by local and international artists, designed with environmentally-friendly materials. The festival aims to encourage visitors and the general public to adopt a sustainable lifestyle.
Festival Director and Urban Redevelopment Authority Director of Place Management, Mr Jason Chen, explained how the theme emphasises the relationship between nature and the environment, by redesigning everyday objects into artworks.
From May 31 to June 23, visitors can gaze upon a mesmerising line-up of sustainable artworks by 25 Singaporean and international artists. This year’s showcase comprises 17 fascinating light installations that will illuminate not just the usual locations such as Marina Bay, South Beach, and Millenia Walk, but also a new location at Tanjong Pagar.
We interviewed the artists behind three stunning light installations to learn more about the stories behind their artwork.
Dandelion
First up, the artwork inspired by the flower itself, Dandelion! Created by Australian artists Jorge Spinola and Rachel Darnell from the Interactive Lights Arts Studio, Amigo and Amigo, Dandelion is an interactive light installation with music commissioned to provide a more stimulating experience.
“We wanted to bring people together to enjoy that playful experience when blowing a dandelion apart. Since it’s quite an international experience people have with flowers and joy, we hope anyone who comes can come and play with Dandelion,” Spinolla said.
Arc ZERO: Nimbus
Imagine a portal that transports you into another realm, one that is out of this world, beyond your wildest dreams — that’s exactly what Arc ZERO looks like. James Tapscott, who is also from Australia, is the artist behind this captivating artwork.
He said, “I want to make people feel like they are immersing themselves through a gateway into sort of a spiritual realm, and be cleansed by the mists physically and spiritually as well.”
Photo by Neo Wei Ting
Tapscott hopes that through his work, people can reconnect with nature through a sense of wonder. In his eyes, nature should be appreciated, not controlled. His goal is to create a healthy relationship between people and nature.
Fountain of Happiness
Hop onto this light installation which uses swings to generate music and light! The Fountain of Happiness, created by Thai artists Pawimol Samsen and Chayanon Tocharoen from 27June Studio, was inspired by their personal experiences. The installation aims to express the feelings of euphoria and calmness when sitting on a swing.
The artwork conveys the message that every individual’s actions can make a difference to the environment or society, as reflected by how the swing’s motion immediately activates the coloured LED lights and musical nodes.
Photo by Alayna Tan
“We hope that participants can come together to sit on the swings and share moments of happiness together while feeling encouraged that their actions can have an impact on their surroundings and environment,” Samsen said.
Though we didn’t get a chance to explore the other locations, the 10 light installations we saw at Marina Bay certainly left a deep impression on us. We left feeling amazed and satisfied.
So head on down if you have the time. Trust us, you won’t want to miss out on 2024’s edition of i Light Singapore.
Admission: Free
Date: 31 May – 23 June 2023
Venue: Marina Bay | South Beach | Millenia Walk | Tanjong Pagar
Time: Sun-Thu 7.30 pm-11 pm | Fri & Sat 7.30 pm-12 am