5 installations you have to check out at i Light Marina Bay 2014

So what’s the big deal with i Light? It’s just another exhibition with light installations right? Nope. It is THE (and Asia’s only) sustainable light art festival you absolutely have to participate in.

The purpose of i Light Marina Bay 2014 is to raise awareness on environmental sustainability issues through the theme ‘Light+HeART’. Out of the many elaborate and enchanting light art installations, these are our top picks.

Mimosa

The name of the artwork gives you a big hint of what it’s about. Mimosa is an interactive piece responding to human behaviour by mimicking responsive plant systems – like that of a mimosa plant! So when you wave your hands over the light panels or walk around the display, groups of panels fold up and down and this effect affects surrounding panels. Interesting, isn’t it?

1.26 Singapore

A breathtaking, large floating web of colourful fluid lights, 1.26 Singapore is a volumetric piece taking the shape of a tsunami sweeping across the ocean. The artist constructed this artwork in memory of the 2010 earthquake in Chile – the historic shock that resulted in the shortening of the earth’s day by 1.26 microseconds.

The Pool

This is a group of giant, concentric circles created from interactive circular pads. Upon entering The Pool and stepping on a pad, you infiltrate a world where play and collaborative movement with other visitors create swirling effects of light and colour. This installation is best enjoyed and most beautiful when heaps of people play with the different pads together.

CLOUD

A whimsical-looking piece, CLOUD illuminates with the brilliance of energy-efficient bulbs. This piece invites visitors to come together beneath a dazzling raincloud and play. By pulling on a switch, the participant is able to trigger a change involving the greater aesthetic of CLOUD. What is it exactly? We’ll leave you to find out.

Celebration of Life

A large 3D projection on the ArtScience Museum, this artwork is a playful commentary on the role and value of traditional culture in our modern society by local artist Justin Lee. He littered this work with elements of Pop Art to create an installation celebrating Asian values with a tongue-in-cheek manner.

Well we had such a hard time choosing our favourites! It is awfully tough describing the stunning installation with words, you just have to see them for yourself. Besides viewing light art installations, a full array of complementary programmes and activities are open to participation, including free guided tours, bazaars, and educational talks and workshops.

i Light Marina Bay 2014 will open nightly from 7 to 30 March 2014, 7:30pm to 11pm, around the Marina Bay waterfront. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.ilightmarinabay.sg.