It was spearheaded by National Gallery Singapore and it’s being held in partnership with The Arts House, Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall, the Asian Civilisations Museum and The Esplanade. The Light to Night Festival is one of the highlights of Singapore Art Week 2018.

Now in its second edition, the precinct-wide festival takes the theme of ‘Colour Sensations’ and turns various public areas in the Civic District, both indoors and out, into a nocturnal wonderland. Festival-goers are presented with a wide variety of programs, running the gamut from art viewings and artists’ talks to poetry readings and music performances.

“The Civic District is home to major cultural institutions in Singapore and prides itself as an arts and cultural hub right in the heart of the city. The Light to Night Festival aims to extend this experience beyond the walls of these timeless monuments and into public spaces for a multi-generational audience to gather and enjoy the art around them,” says Festival Director Suenne Megan Tan.

She adds, “We believe that by making art easily accessible, we can encourage more encounters of public art around the precinct, gradually raise the appreciation toward art, and over time nurture a greater art-loving community.”

 Festival highlights include:

 Chromascope by Spinifex group.

A creative studio, digital agency and production company hybrid from Australia, the Spinifex group uses the facade of the National Gallery as a canvas for an interactive visual journey that unfolds in five stages. Visitors are invited to step onto stomping pads placed across the street in the Padang to project visuals and compete with each other in mini-games.

House of Mirrors by Christian Wagstaff and Keith Courtney

Hailing from Melbourne, artists Christian Wagstaff and Keith Courtney have debuted their artwork House of Mirrors at the Empress Lawn at Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall. The thrilling installation relies on precise geometry, scale and spatial perception to incite delight (and later, paranoia) – “a darker side of altered perception,” say the artists, adding, “no gimmicks, no special effects and no special lighting.” 

Trip to the Colourscape by Nipek

The lighting designers at Nipek have transformed the tunnel connecting Empress Place to Queen Elizabeth Walk (Esplanade Park) into a multi-sensory light installation. The lighting in the tunnel changes colour and intensity as visitors walk through, while coloured lights arranged at the Esplanade Park turn the venue into a romantic spot. “In the past, the Esplanade Park was hailed as one of the most romantic spots to take your date to in Singapore,” says Nipek founder Shigeki Fuji. “We wanted to bring that romantic ambience back with this installation.”

The National Gallery has commissioned five artists to create participatory artworks for the festival’s indoor programme. They are Sonic Blossom by Taiwanese artist Lee Mingwei, A Stitch in Time by Filipino artist David Medalla, One or Several Tigers by Singaporean artist Ho Tzu Yen, The House is Crumbling by Thai artist Pinaree Sanpitak and digital installation Walk, Walk, Walk: Search, Deviate, Reunite by Japanese collective teamLab.

The Light to Night Festival runs from 19 to 29 January 2018. Admission to the festival ground is free while a small admission fee may apply to individual exhibitions. St Andrew’s Road will be closed on Friday and Saturday from 4pm to 1am during the two weeks of its run.

Photography courtesy of The National Gallery Singapore.