SINGAPORE: The special Bicentennial Edition of the annual i Light Marina Bay art festival will for the first time extend to the historic Raffles Terrace at Fort Canning Park, as Singapore commemorates the 200th anniversary of the arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles on the island.
Running from Jan 28 to Feb 24, this year’s edition will kick-start Singapore’s bicentennial commemoration, with five themed hubs for “a fun, engaging and unique experience”, according to a media release on Tuesday (Jan 8).
The festival is organised by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).
The five hubs located at Fort Canning Park, The Lawn @ Marina Bay, Marina Bay Sands (MBS) Event Plaza, Bayfront Event Space and Esplanade Park, will also feature activities that promote environmental sustainability.
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LIGHTS, MUSIC, ACTION
For the first time, the historic Raffles Terrace – which has a replica of Sir Stamford Raffles’ residence in 1822 – at Fort Canning Park will play host to the light art installations.
Programme highlights include acoustic music acts and special piano showcases by local talents, roving performances, movie screenings and guided tours of Fort Canning Hill.
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Also check out Camp Kilo at Marina Bay Sands Event Plaza, where visitors can enjoy eclectic groovy beats by resident DJs and enjoy outdoor dining “served on biodegradable food ware”.
Camp Kilo @ i Light Singapore – Bicentennial Edition in 2019. (Image: i Light Singapore)
Thrill-seekers can also go on 50 rides and games at the “LED-lit” Prudential Marina Bay Carnival located at Bayfront Event Space.
Meanwhile, The Lawn @ Marina Bay will be transformed into Eco Lawn, where visitors can attend upcycling workshops, or shop at the sustainable lifestyle market. Those in the mood for some exercise can also join in a spot of yoga under a City Gazing Singapore light art installation.
On Feb 2, there will also be percussion music, hip hop dances and martial arts by Republic Polytechnic students at various spots around Marina Bay.
Republic Polytechnic Student Performances at i Light Singapore – Bicentennial Edition in 2019. (Image: i Light Singapore)
The Switch Off, Turn Up campaign, held in conjunction with the festival, will also be back this year, encouraging companies and building owners to save energy by switching off non-essential lighting and turning up their thermostat.
In addition, the festival will also encourage the reduction of single-use plastic straws at the food and beverage establishments around the bay.
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BRIDGES OF TIME
At Esplanade Park, visitors can explore Transporta, which features “kaleidoscopic spaces … revolving around the space-time continuum”. The experience is designed by Singaporean artists based on the festival theme of Bridges of Time.
Sails Aloft by Studio Biangle, one of the artworks featured in i Light Singapore – Bicentennial Edition in 2019. (Image: i Light Singapore)
Six bridges along Singapore River and Marina Bay will also be turned into venues for artworks, the festival organiser announced earlier.
Elgin Bridge, Cavenagh Bridge, Anderson Bridge, Esplanade Bridge, Jubilee Bridge and The Helix bridge will – for the first time – feature artworks from five countries, including Singapore.
“Collectively, the artworks inspire inspire hope and optimism as we acknowledge the past, celebrate our present, while looking to the future by sparking conversations on the development of Singapore and the world around us,” said the event organiser.
Map of i Light Singapore – Bicentennial Edition artworks in 2019. (Image: i Light Singapore)
The artworks on the bridges are part of 33 “sustainable light art installations” featured in the festival, 17 of which are by Singaporean artists or feature Singapore-related content. On top of local artists, artists from 14 countries will participate in the festival.
Visitors can sign up for paid guided tours of the festival by foot or boat on the i Light Singapore website, or go on a self-guided audio tour by downloading the VoiceMap app.
The festival will be open from 7.30pm to 11pm daily, and till 12am on Fridays and Saturdays. General admission to the festival is free.
