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  • i Light Marina Bay 2016 Returns with a Dazzling Lineup of Installations

    i Light Marina Bay 2016 Returns with a Dazzling Lineup of Installations

    Singapore Night Festival, Singapore Writers Festival, Singapore Art Week…

    Good news for fellow festival goers: this month, you won’t want to miss out i Light Marina Bay! It is a light art festival which features 25 light art installations by local and international creative talents. Did I say where? As obvious as it can be, you say.

    But, wait. Yes, we all recognise the iconic Marina Bay Sands building, the unique architecture of the ArtScience Museum, the Fullerton Hotel and the list goes on. How about the waterfront promenade or the promontory? Most of the installations can be seen there. Grab a copy of the festival map and you are ready to set off.  Take this opportunity to explore and have a deeper understanding of what else the bay area has to offer! However, don’t forget to stroll along the Fullerton Heritage precinct too. Otherwise, you might miss installation #16! The glowing bamboo lattice by MisoSoupDesign (a Taipei-based design studio) is indeed a perfect addition to it’s surrounding ambience.

    LightScape Pavilion By MisoSoupDesign (Taiwan) Location: Clifford Square Image courtesy of i Light Marina Bay 2016
    LightScape Pavilion by MisoSoupDesign (Taiwan)
    Location: Clifford Square
    Image courtesy of i Light Marina Bay 2016

    As you continue your stroll, you will find installations which are either statement-making, beautiful, or meaningful. And some installations can trigger emotions by making connections with the physical surrounding space. Hafiz Osman’s Cycle House (installation #1) did just that. The colourful retro cycle houses rekindle the memory of the trishaws in the olden days of Singapore. It is just a warm fuzzy feeling to see and hear passer-bys singing oldies (generously) from the in-built KTV system.

     

    Cycle House by Hafiz Osman. Location: Lower boardwalk, near Bayfront South Jetty Image courtesy of i Light Marina Bay 2016
    Cycle House by Hafiz Osman.
    Location: Lower boardwalk, near Bayfront South Jetty                                                                                                                                                          Image courtesy of i Light Marina Bay 2016

    Another installation which draws a connection with the past and present is installation #23, SONICtower by Zulkifle Mahmod. Given it’s height, it is really hard to miss this. Comprising of a total of 320 solenoids and LED lights, the scaffolds create an instant juxtaposition with the skyscrappers in the background. The rhythmic sound of clinks and clanks invites you to reflect upon the behind-the-scenes of  yester-years and the success of the city we see today. If you like Mahmod’s work, you can see more of it at the Singapore Art Museum where he has another work on display as part of the Five Star exhibition that is on there.

    SONICtower By Zulkifle Mahmod (Singapore) Location: The Float @ Marina Bay Image courtesy of i Light Marina Bay 2016
    SONICtower by Zulkifle Mahmod (Singapore)
    Location: The Float @ Marina Bay
    Image courtesy of i Light Marina Bay 2016

     

    This light art festival really re-defines the museum-going experience. So far, it feels like visiting a museum, albeit an outdoor one. One of my favourite piece is literally on the exterior of a museum! Installation #25, What a Loving & Beautiful World, is a virtual world projected on the façade of ArtScience Museum. To enter this fantasy world, you don’t buy entry tickets but you can simply swipe chinese characters outwards from your handphone. Log in to ilight.team-lab.com, and you will see this page below.  Choose any character and swipe it outwards facing the lotus exterior. I promise you will love what you see next.  Together with the melodious background instrumental music, lightning and thunder sounds, teamLab from Japan conjures a romantic world which can only be admired from far.

     

    What a Loving & Beautiful World By teamLab (Japan) Location: ArtScience Museum Location: ArtScience Museum Image courtesy of i Light Marina Bay 2016
    What a Loving & Beautiful World by teamLab (Japan)
    Location: ArtScience Museum
    Image courtesy of i Light Marina Bay 2016

    Having said so, my number 1 favourite still has to be installation #14. It was love at first sight with the time-lapse light display depicting the sun set and sun rise. As the tiny red light spots slowly move up and down, it truly captures the essence of the natural phenomenon… and my heart as well.

    C'scape by Illuminate LD. Location: Marina Bay waterfront promenade Image courtesy of i Light Marina Bay 2016
    C’scape by Illuminate LD.
    Location: Marina Bay waterfront promenade
    Image courtesy of i Light Marina Bay 2016

    The i Light Marina Bay is on till 27 March 2016. Here are some upcoming events you can look forward to over the next 2 weekends:

    What: Stargazing at Marina Bay

    When: Saturday, 12 and 26 March 8 PM – 10 PM

    Where: The Promontory @ Marina Bay

     

    What: Our Guiding Light – A Tribute to Lee Kuan Yew

    When: 23 March, Wednesday

    Where: Event Square (beside Marina Bay Sands)

     

    What: Yoglo (glow yoga party on the floating platform)

    When: 26 March, Saturday

    Where: The Float @ Marina Bay

     

    What: MegaFash Art Market

    When: 12-13, 19-20, 26-27 March (Saturdays and Sundays), 7.30 PM – 11.00 PM

    Where: The Float @ Marina Bay (under the Seating Gallery)

     

    What: i Light Night Skating

    When: 26 March, Saturday, 5 PM – 10 PM

    Where: The Float @ Marina Bay

    More for more information on:

    Installations: http://www.ilightmarinabay.sg/Discover/Installations

    Sign up for the activities: http://www.ilightmarinabay.sg/Discover/Festival

    Photographs: https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/ilightmarinabay/

    (Remember to hashtag #ilightmarinabay to share your photos)

    Sharon is drawn to museums…from Disney to The Little Prince to ramen exhibitions, she simply enjoys staring and standing in front of exhibits; allowing her thoughts to wander occasionally. In an alternate universe, she imagines herself drawing and drumming. Meanwhile, she travels with a pen and notebook, as well as a missing DSLR.

  • Book Review: Not In Any Order: Writings on Singapore Art 2006 – 2010 by Lim Kok Boon

    Book Review: Not In Any Order: Writings on Singapore Art 2006 – 2010 by Lim Kok Boon

     

    Photo courtesy of Ian Lin.
    Photo courtesy of Ian Lin.

    Not in Any Order by Lim Kok Boon starts off with an intriguing reference to George Orwell’s Why I Write (2004), underling four relevant motives for writing – sheer egoism, aesthetic enthusiasm, historical impulse and political purpose. This is particularly relevant when trying to understand why we write about art.

    Art writing is often perceived as a false art in itself, obfuscating the art work to the point of inaccessibility with sheer verbosity. However, writers like Lim perceive art writing as a means of increasing awareness and understanding about contemporary art amongst wider audiences. This genuine effort comes across in the publication – starting with the essay ‘Singapore Art Needs You’ as the writer implores the reader to be an active voyeur and/or participant in the local arts scene, and ending with an essay from the art student’s perspective, fresh from the discovery of a new world.

    The reviews are categorised into four sections based on the following ideas – modernity, consumerism, realism and the new waves of contemporary art. However, the exhibitions cut across defined genres of contemporary and modern art, as well as emerging and established artists. This makes the reviews easy to read without following its order in the book.

    The compilation of exhibition reviews is filled with personal insights and casual commentary.  For example, in the review on The Artists Village: 20 Years On, the writer is unafraid to incite discourse through a series of rhetorical questions as he openly ponders the documenting of art history in Singapore.

    This sense of casual intimacy complements the minimalist layout and curation of the book.  However, a common art writer’s folly is to write about artists and art works as if the reader already knows about them. Admittedly, this engenders a sense of intimacy, making the reader feel like he/she is part of the arts scene. However, it is unfamiliar terrain for someone who is new to contemporary art. In spite of efforts to reference previous works and styles of artists, Not in Any Order does not serve as an introductory publication, but a good addition to the library of those who are interested in Singapore’s contemporary art.

    Reena Devi is a freelance writer and editor. She has written essays for art exhibition catalogues and social commentary pieces for TODAY. She has previously worked at the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) and Singapore Contemporary Young Artists (SCYA). 

  • The Second Coming at Chan Hampe Galleries

    The Second Coming at Chan Hampe Galleries

    The Second Coming. Photo courtesy of Ian Lin.

    Eugene Soh has come to be an established name in Singapore’s contemporary art scene as a young artist known for his tongue-in-cheek works. His most recognized work The Last Kopitiam was created in 2010 as a satirical ‘Singaporeanizing’ of the iconic painting The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci. Most of his works pay daring homage to famous art pieces through manipulating various forms of digital art. His artistic style has always displayed an edgy confidence in taking on these classics and making it utterly and comprehensibly local. (more…)