Ready to light up your nights this January with a spark of creativity? Let’s put our hands together and welcome back Light to Night Singapore 2025! This yearly affair is all about shining a light (no pun intended) on various arts groups – so once again, expect to see the Civic District transformed into a vibrant dreamscape of over 70 artworks and programmes. From stunning projection mappings on iconic landmarks to large installations and immersive public experiences, there’s so much to explore!
This year, under the theme “Do You See Me?”, Light to Night Singapore 2025 reflects on who we are as individuals and as a nation – digging into questions about identity, diversity, belonging, and celebrating voices that are often hidden in plain sight.
And with Singapore hitting a major milestone – SG60! – and the Gallery celebrating its 10th anniversary, this timing is perfect to explore what connects us all! Because art is for the heart, and you are invited to “see and be seen.”
Do You See Me?
“Do You See Me?” is a loud call to rethink and reframe how we see ourselves and others. With artworks that challenge conventional perceptions, Light to Night Singapore 2025 is turning the Civic District into a playground of possibilities!
Take Claire Teo’s Through The Looking Glass, for instance. Inspired by her journey as a visually impaired artist, this multi-sensory installation invites you to experience the world through her lens – or perhaps lack thereof. Meanwhile, TraseOne’s Now You See Us? illuminates the evolution of Singapore’s graffiti scene onto the exterior of The Arts House, highlighting an art form often overlooked. I’m personally looking forward to this one in particular!
The travelling photo showcase for the International Migrants Day Photo Contest 2024 is also making a pit-stop at Light to Night this year, providing us with an inspiring opportunity to witness the creativity and passion of Singapore’s migrant workers.
Missing the early 2000s? Beverley Ng’s Return to Paradise (Play) will have you reminiscing all the more. I’m sure arcades, theme parks, and pasar malams are nostalgic sites for all of us! Catch it at Funan’s Underground Pedestrian Link, or its expanded counterpart at the Padang Atrium Corridor.
Over at ACM Green, art collective Arterly Obsessed is taking it to the next level – in a spiritual sense, too – with We’ll Make Heaven a Place on Earth, an LED-lit infinity room inspired by the allure of pagodas. Once you step inside, you’ll be enveloped in a sense of infinity with endless reflections of yourself!
I can’t go without mentioning Ang Song Nian’s Blades, Shrapnel, either – a performance art piece with the laser-emitting grass cutters that keep our landscapes pristine, with the grass cutters themselves on display at the Former Supreme Court Foyer. I’m intrigued, to say the least, because this sounds so novel!
If you’re looking for something more interactive, swing by A Little Bead of Work by Kray Chen at The Arts House Outdoor Lawn. With thousands of glow-in-the-dark alphabet beads for you to string into words and bracelets, it’s a meaningful way to view yourself through the stories you spell. This activity makes for a cute bonding experience, don’t you think?
Main Highlights
Count on renowned sculptor and Cultural Medallion recipient Han Sai Por to create a rainforest in the middle of the city! She’s gone big – really big – with her Travelling Through the Tropical Rainforest installation, the breathtaking star of the Padang this year, featuring six massive inflatable sculptures inspired by tropical palms.
Known for her natural, organic forms in stone, Han switched lanes by working with manmade materials to explore the coexistence between urban and natural environments. Consider this Han’s poetic take on the dance between the two, one that shows how even in our city’s concrete jungle, nature finds its way to thrive against Singapore’s skyline.
If you’ve attended Light to Night before, you know Art Skins on Monuments is a signature feature, turning our cultural landmarks into glowing works of art. This year, the Gallery is going all out with projection mappings by not one, not two, but three Cultural Medallion recipients – the late Chng Seok Tin, Goh Beng Kwan, and the late Jaafar Latiff. Yes, I’m serious!
Collaborating with Indonesian multimedia wizards ARAFURA, the works of Chng and Jaafar will light up the Gallery’s façade for the first time ever, bridging past and present to honour their legacies. Light to Night’s scale never fails to amaze me, truly. Why settle for a wall when the city itself is the canvas?
The magic extends across the Civic District, with projection works by local creatives illuminating the Asian Civilisations Museum, The Arts House, Victoria Theatre, Victoria Concert Hall, and even the Gallery’s Rotunda Library dome. From veteran artist Song-Ming Ang to emerging artists like Kapilan Naidu and SOTA students, the line-up is a beautiful celebration of homegrown talent.
More to Experience
Ready your appetites – there’s more on the menu! Oh – what’s the chef’s recommendation? The debut of Art X Social: Festival Street at St Andrew’s Road, of course, running for all three weekends with scrumptious eats, sips, and a carnival of live performances and games!
Over at the Gallery, the Singapore Courtyard transforms into The Living Room, a cosy communal nook decked out in bright, eco-friendly cardboard furniture and lighting. Drop by for artist talks, art workshops, and DJ sets by none other than EATMEPOPTART.
If you’re down for something a little extra, you can opt for ticketed experiences, too! Scarce City by Rainshadow Studio turns the climate conversation into a hands-on light gameplay adventure, while Escaped the Art by Strawberries Inc. introduces an interactive theatre mystery where figures from the past have – wait for it – escaped their paintings! Think you can solve the riddle before they disappear for good? Well, prove it!
But if you want to go light on your wallet, don’t worry, there are also ample free experiences awaiting your presence! During the festival weekends, you can look forward to performances brought to you by Gallery Gigs and Resonates With Residency – DJ sets, musical numbers, dance routines, theatre acts… the works. With something exciting around every corner, don’t just be a spectator – Light to Night is calling for you!
Join the Crowd at Light to Night Singapore 2025!
Here’s the cherry on top to sweeten your Light to Night Singapore 2025 plans – the National Gallery is keeping its doors open till 11pm on festival weekends (Friday to Sunday). As part of the Open House, you’ll enjoy free entry to all exhibitions – including the exclusive SG Artist series of solo exhibitions dedicated to Singapore’s pioneering artists Kim Lim, Lim Tze Peng, and Teo Eng Seng.
So don’t rush – take your time to wander and wonder. The only question left is – are you ready to “see and be seen”?
🗓️Date: 17 January to 6 February 2025
📍Location: Civic District
💲Price: Free admission
For more information and pre-booking of ticketed programmes, hop over to Light to Night Singapore 2025’s page – and be sure to follow their socials on Instagram and Facebook. Have fun with your crew!
Visuals Courtesy of Han Sai Por, Beverley Ng, Benedict Tay, Rainshadow Studios, National Gallery Singapore, and School of the Arts, Singapore (SOTA).
