Celebrating the 10th Edition of Sustainable Light Art: i Light Singapore 2024 illuminates this May

Glenda Chong

Lighten up as i Light Singapore returns for its 10th edition from 31 May to 23 June 2024! In light of i Light Singapore 2024 being a milestone edition, the sustainable light festival will switch on its lights at Tanjong Pagar for the first time beyond its usual spots in Marina Bay, South Beach, and Millenia Walk!

I’m sure you’ve now had enough of my light-related puns, so allow me to guide you through what exciting stuff you can expect and other equally dazzling highlights coming to the festival this year!

Cyclical Nature

Inspired by the theme of Cyclical Nature and the colour green, a wavelength on the visible light spectrum typically representing nature, i Light Singapore 2024 will feature 17 artworks from 25 artists.

At Marina Bay, the festival’s main grounds, you can bask in the contemplative and interactive artworks that explore everyday objects and their unlimited possibilities for re-designing, restoration, and repurposing!

Firstly, take a stroll through the Mist Walk, where your eyes will have the privilege of viewing larger-than-life yarn balls intertwined with their surroundings! Created by United Kingdom-based Studio Vertigo, Spin Me a Yarn sheds light on the detrimental effects yarn preparation by fashion brands has on global pollution and the need to reverse such unsustainable practices.

Spin Me a Yarn will have you hooked with its impressive glowing yarn structures

Another artwork that illuminates the theme of circularities is Kinetic Perspective by Spain-based Juan Fuentes Studio, found at the Marina Bay Sands Event Plaza. Featuring circles moving continuously to create infinite combinations, this intriguing art piece was made from upcycled iron remnants from industrial sources to mimic optical illusions.

Want to see some local talent? Near the Red Dot Design Museum, you can find an art piece entitled Liminal;Minimal, made by Singapore University of Technology and Design students Benjamin Lim and Yeo Soon Yii. Made using repurposed building site materials, the stunning piece spotlights the issue of construction waste.

Additionally, Liminal;Minimal is cleverly placed against the cityscape along the Marina Bay waterfront promenade to highlight the need for more sustainable practices in the face of rapid urban development.

Liminal;Minimal is juxtaposed against the cityscape as a sobering reminder of the importance of sustainability

Interactive artwork at satellite locations

With the festival lighting up the Tanjong Pagar precinct for the very first time, you can visit the Guoco Tower and Orchid Hotel area and view a stunning art piece by Singaporean artist Yun called BottleBlooms!

BottleBlooms is a bright display of solar-powered plastic blossoms upcycled from approximately 1000 polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles gathered from a public collection drive. Not only does this artwork give blooming flowers a beautiful glow, but it also demonstrates the potential of transforming discarded materials into works of art.

Meanwhile, at the DTP (Discover Tanjong Pagar) Community Green, there’s a fun and interactive light installation for you to play in alongside your friends and family! In this installation titled Kickit Team Tennis by Hungary-based artist collective Limelight, put yourselves into two teams of five where you kick illuminated balls that send brilliant paths of light across the field.

Have a ball playing at the Kickit Team Tennis installation

Over at Tras Link Park, “Hidden Garden” by Koros Design has trees dressed up with colourful light art inflatables resembling various flower species as a tribute to our city’s renowned status as a garden city.

Aside from these newcomers, a satellite site returning to i Light Singapore 2024 is Lumi, which South Beach will host! Done by art collective 65 SQM @ SUSA SPACE, multiple balls of light are carefully arranged together, resulting in a winding river-like shape.

Another artwork home to South Beach is The Lantern by Josephine Pun Tsz Kiu from the National University of Singapore, a brightly lit-up pavilion upcycled from over 5000 plastic bottles! Like many of the previous artworks mentioned, the ingenuity behind creating this masterpiece represents the potential for renewal and the shocking physical symbolism of the waste we carelessly generate.

The Lantern is blindingly beautiful with the help of 5000 bottles illuminating the artwork

If you’re looking for a thrilling installation similar to Kickit Team Tennis, look no further than the Fountain Plaza. In this calm, engaging installation, you are encouraged to sit on illuminated yoga balls wrapped in upcycled net fabric to play, rest, move, and interact with others.

Moving over to Millenia Walk, we have a fellow returning satellite site titled Modern Guru and the Path to Artificial Happiness by Australia-based art and technology studio ENESS. Step into a whimsical world of inflatables before you’re greeted by the Modern Guru, who sends the important message of being content in the present.

The Conscious Festival

Once you’ve had your fill of the art side of i Light Singapore 2024, you can join exciting programmes promoting sustainable living! As a first, the festival has collaborated with The Conscious Festival to offer wellness workshops, transformative talks, a conscious leadership boot camp, music performances, and an outdoor marketplace.

There’s something for everyone in this extensive programme lineup, which beckons you to reflect on mindfulness, rediscover your connections with each other, and open your eyes to the Earth’s ability to sustain us!

GastroBeats

Although it’s essential to nourish the mind, it’s just as vital to nourish the stomach, too! Hence, the ever-popular Festival Village GastroBeats will make a comeback at the Bayfront Event Space, offering an array of culinary delights and musical experiences!

To maintain and promote the festival’s sustainability aspect, more sustainably produced food items will be offered! This includes The Curry Club’s Mumbai Pav Bun, made from fresh mixed vegetables harvested from organic farms and locally sourced buns.

Papi’s Tacos also joins the sustainability movement with its Yaca Pibil Taco, which substitutes meat with jackfruit. This taco is a perfect introduction to meat alternatives if you’ve never gone meatless before.

Want a lighter bite? Try the Braised Pork Spring Roll by 8 Degrees Taiwanese Bistro! Traditionally, most spring rolls come with meat, but this unique dish is stuffed to the brim with locally sourced tofu, a classic meat alternative, as well as black fungus, mushroom, and egg.

Also, there’s no need to worry about the sustainability of the cutlery and crockery used. At GastroBeats, there’ll be no plastic straws in sight, and you are encouraged to bring your own reusable cups, flasks, and storage containers!

As for the restrooms, solar-powered and air-conditioned “portaloos” will be provided to make your restroom experience both comfortable and sustainable.

i Light Singapore 2024 is here to brighten your day with its wide range of visually spectacular art installations and exciting programmes! So, if you need something fun to do, visit i Light Singapore 2024, which will be coming to you at the end of May!

For more information, do visit the festival’s official website!