A final dance with the lights

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After what has been a wonderful three weeks of fun in glow of the light art installations at Marina Bay, here for Asia’s first and only sustainable light art festival – i Light Marina Bay 2012, it is time to say goodbye. With it being the last day of the event today, there is still that chance for those who have not yet been down to bathe in the glow of lights as well as the many I am sure who have not had their fill of the festival to have a last dance with the light art installations – many of which do certainly make one want to dance with.

A child is seen dancing in the light of Parmendies I. Have a last dance this evening with the installations at i Light Marina Bay 2012..

There is little doubt about the buzz the festival has generated. The numbers thronging the waterfront promenade around Marina Bay where most of the 31 installations have been sited, even during the weekdays has been clear to see. The festival attracted both visitors from Singapore, as well as many from further afield, including the “overly caffeinated, full time travel photographer & Monkey to blame for a BlameTheMonkey.com“, Elia Locardi who hails from the Florida Keys. I had an opportunity to meet and and also speak at length with Elia, who had linked-up with a newly formed group of landscape photography enthusiasts Landscape Hunters Asia to conduct (cup of coffee in hand of course) a well attended photo-walk and a Q&A session for the group. I will be posting on the interview I did with Elia little later.

A stick-figure from Groupe LAPS installation, Key Frames, seems to use the Singapore Flyer as a running wheel.

It is probably the large-scale installations and those that permit some level of interaction that have perhaps gone down the best with the many visitors to the festival. One can’t help but be enthralled by the 3D sound and light project on the ArtScience Museum Garden of Light – best viewed from the look-out platforms of the Helix, and be drawn to the flicker and the music of the 30 stick figures of Key Frames that seem to dance at the seating gallery of the Float @ Marina Bay. It is probably however what has been described as the “Rainbow Merlion” that is the crowd’s favourite – an installation that certainly encourages interaction – one that nobody, young or old can resist wanting to have a hand in. This installation entitled Light of The Merlion is one that a visitor can influence the colours that are projected on the much loved 40 year old icon of the new Singapore through a touch-screen LCD panel which sees large numbers queuing up each evening.

Light of the Merlion.

Besides the installations mentioned, each of the other 28 installations are ones that offer differing experiences and each definitely is worth a visit – each as I have mentioned an observer as saying, offering “small delights”. There are about four clusters of installations around the bay, the largest cluster of which is under and around the seating gallery of the Float which includes Key Frames, Immersion and enLIGHTenment on the outside. Under the gallery, are several installations – my favourites of which are Parmendies I and White Rain.

Immersion by the Float.

Dancing in the light and reflection of Edwin Tan's enLIGHTenment on a wet evening.

Along the waterfront promenade of Marina Bay Sands is another cluster which includes Garden of Light and MEGAPOV – interesting a vertical line of light which in panning one’s head or a camera, one is able to see subliminal images. Further down at the Marina Bay City Gallery is the red beams of The Gate. Close to the Marina Bay City Gallery are the installations of the Promontory as well as where the festival village is located. The festival village is where one can find many of the fringe activities – a few of which, including Light Painting by LUMIX are still available on the last evening and are definitely not to be missed. If you do feel like there is that urge to head down to have that final dance with the lights this evening at one of the four clusters or at the Light of The Merlion at Merlion Park, do also make it a point to pass by Esplanade Park. That might hold a reward of seeing one or two who are not dancing with the lights, but talking to the few forgotten trees there. That is this one little delight that somewhat off the beaten path, is one that awaits discovery – Angela Chong’s Tree Stories which compels the visitor to interact with the trees. The installations will on this last evening, as with the other evenings, be turned on from 7.30 to 11 pm. More information on the activities and the event can be found on the i Light Marina Bay 2012 Activity Chart or at the event’s website: www.ilightmarinabay.sg.

Subliminal messages given by a vertical strip of light.

Another subliminal image.

No Emergency Exit is offered by The Gate.

Beams of light draw one into a portal that cannot be passed through - portraying Enlightenment as an unattainable goal.

After Light - an installation that involves 26 shipping containers at the Promontory which also incorporates two installations by Singapore based art college students.

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All photographs in this post have been taken with a LUMIX GF-3.

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Related posts:

Media Preview and an Overview of some of the installations

Opening Ceremony and the Light of The Merlion

Light Painting by LUMIX and other Fringe Activities

The View from Sands SkyPark and the Garden of Light

Lighting Up for Sustainability

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About i Light Marina Bay 2012:

i Light Marina Bay 2012, the second edition of Asia’s first and only sustainable light art festival, will be held from 9 March to 1 April 2012. Themed “Light Meets Asia”, i Light Marina Bay 2012 features innovative and environmentally sustainable light art installations by 31 multi-disciplinary artists, with a strong focus on works from Asia. The festival is organised by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) in collaboration with Smart Light Singapore. i Light Marina Bay will be on nightly from 7.30pm to 11.00pm from 9 March to 1 April 2012. For more information, please visit www.ilightmarinabay.sg. In conjunction with the festival, LUMIX is running a photography competition for which participants who can capture the magical atmosphere created by the light art installations around Marina Bay stand to win attractive prizes. More information can be found at the festival website.

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The coming of light at Marina Bay

Come Friday (9 March 2012), Marina Bay will be aglow, bathed in the colours of lights that will transform the area into a greater spectacle than it already is. Friday sees the opening of the sequel to the highly successful first edition of Asia’s only sustainable light art event of two years ago, i Light Marina Bay 2012, which on the evidence of a media preview of the event – Asia’s first and only sustainable Light Art Festival held last evening, is one that will be a feast for the senses.

i Light Marina Bay 2012 brings a spectacle of colour and light to the already spectacular Marina Bay.

Organised by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and with festival direction provided by Smart Light, this year’s edition will feature 22 works which will be by Asian based artists and designers. This is in line with the festival’s theme of “Light Meets Asia”. Beyond the theme, the festival aims to also promote sustainability and the use of energy-efficient technology – a message that the 31 works selected for the festival will carry. A total of 17 countries are represented in the 31 works, which were selected from some 100 submissions. 21 of the works are festival commissions.

Ms Mary-Anne Kyriakou, the Festival Director and Mr Mark Goh, Deputy Director of URA’s Place Management Department, speaking at the media preview.

As the area around which the 31 installations is large, the media preview, led by Festival Director Ms Mary-Anne Kyriakou, covered some of the highlights of the festival. One of the highlights Key Frames – a delightful installation set by the Float @ Marina Bay which has not just 30 light stick figures in various poses seemingly dancing in a routine choreographed to the music, it makes the viewer want to also dance with them. The installation is by French light artists, Groupe LAPS, which hails from the World’s largest light festival, Lyon’s Fête des Lumières.

Lighted stick figures are brought to life in a choreographed display by the Float @ Marina Bay. The light and sound show, Key Frames, is the work of Groupe LAPS from the World's largest light festival, the Fête des Lumières, Lyon.

A full exposure of Key Frames.

The highlights also included some of the more eye-catching installations – those that involved projections on two of the new icons of Singapore that are hard to miss. One is that of the interactive projection on the Merlion, Light of the Merlion – the work of Portuguese projection artists, OCUBO, which I did not have an opportunity yet to photograph. With Light of the Merlion, visitors are able to control light projections on the surface of the Merlion through an interactive touch-screen at Merlion Park. The other installation that certainly cannot be missed is the animated projection on three fingers of the ArtScience Museum, which uses 3D digital mapping technology – best viewed from The Helix (bridge), which is the work of local projection artists Hexogon Solution. The work, entitled Garden of Light, is also the largest projection at the festival. Hexogon Solution is one of eleven Singaporean artists whose works would be seen at the festival.

A close of the animated projection on the ArtScience Musuem.

Three interesting works can also be found in a rather unconventional space – under the seating gallery of seating gallery of The Float @ Marina Bay. The first, Sweet Home, is a site-specific work by Swedish based Serbian artist Aleksandra Stratimirovic is an adaptation of an original work created for Belgrade of Light 2011. The work aims to make ugly places pretty – the original work in Belgrade was an attempt to bring warmth and a homely atmosphere to one of the most polluted, busiest and exciting streets in Belgrade. For i Light Marina Bay 2012, Sweet Home, supported by Philips Lighting, attempts to use the colourful forms of the lanterns used in the installation to spread warmth and homeliness in the urban environment. The second installation here is American artist Dev Harlan’s Parmenides I. This is a large-scale geometric sculpture which incorporates a 360 degree projection mapped video which was previously exhibited at the New Museum’s New Ideas for the New City Festival in New York. The work features hypnotic 3D projections of swirling abstract patterns that gives a sense of movement, colour and form. The third, Crystallised by Andrew Daly and Katherine Fife from Australia, is one to look up to. The work which is an abstraction of the starry night sky, is an installation of five thousand hollowed-out and edge-lit acrylic rods which attempts to create a glowing internal landscape like a ceiling of a cave with glittering stalactites. It is under this that visitors walk and reflect on the impact of poorly considered lighting on city life.

Dev Harlan's Parmenides I.

The glowing internal landscape under which visitors walk and reflect on the impact of poorly considered lighting on city life - Crystallised by Andrew Daly and Katherine Fife.

Several installations are also located across the bay at the Promontory and the Waterfront Promenade. This includes After Light – which makes use of shipping containers the ends of which projections are made on which will examine the significance of light in New Zealand, from where the group behind the installation, StoryBox hails, and across cultures to Asia. The containers will also incorporate two site specific installations inside the containers that feature the work of budding talents from Singapore’s La Salle College of the Arts and School of the Arts. The area will also feature the glow of cocktail stirrers that have been transformed by French/Filipino artist Olivia d’Aboville into a glowing reef of coral-like sculptures that encourages visitors to interact with, much as a coral reef attracts life under the sea to do so, entitled Coral Garden. Other works in the area include Planting Shadows by Singapore’s Vertical Submarine; Thai sculptor Be Takerng Pattanopas’ Gap the Mind; the orange-red glow of France’s BIBI’s Bibigloo; Receptacle by Cambodia’s Marine Ky; Uh by the Propeller Group from Vietnam and one that is definitely should not be missed – Classification Pending by Craig Walsh from Australia which has 3D animated projections of artificial marine life forms on the waters of the bay.

Installation being carried out for After Light, by Story Box from New Zealand.

The coral garden at the Promontory - Coral Garden by French/Filipino artist Olivia d’Aboville.

Over the Marina Bay City Gallery, The Gate promises to be a huge attraction with its red beams of light. The work of Li Hui, which uses a powerful symbol of a portal which the red beams lead to – a passage perhaps to enlightenment, is one that we are not able to pass through. It suggests that enlightenment is a goal that cannot be attained.

The Festival Director Ms Mary-Anne Kyriakou speaks through the red beams of light of Li Hui's The Gate.

Li Hui, whose silhouette is seen at the right, speaking about his work.

An exit it is not. The Gate which can be seen to look at enlightenment as a goal that can never be achieved, is one that we are not able to go through.

Along the waterfront promenade leading to Marina Bay Sands and in front of Marina Bay Sands are a series of 9 other installations, which include two works by Singaporean artist we were introduced to – a squid like creature 5QU1D by Ryf Zaini and the work of Zulkifle Mahmod named Deck Journey. The series of 31 installations are spread around the bay and would definitely take much more than an evening to fully appreciate. One, the work of another Singaporean artist Angela Chong, Tree Stories, is found somewhat off the beaten track over at Esplanade Park. Tree Stories involves illuminated text on tree trunks which encourages interaction in the form of dialogue between the reader and the tree. Besides Tree Stories and Light on the Merlion, there are also several other installations that invite interaction – something that would appeal especially to the kids. These include several located in and around the seating gallery at The Float @ Marina Bay – White Rain by Japan’s Takahiro Matsuo, Urban Makyoh by UK based “lighting guerillas” Light Collective and Immersion by Martin Bevz and Kathryn Clifton from Australia. Several are also located over at the waterfront in front of Marina Bay Sands – The Light Dam by Taiwan’s Uno Lai, Illumination Disorders II by Singapore’s Tay Swee Siong and Bio Shell by Shinya Okuda of Japan. Installations can all be visited free of charge and will be on from 7.30pm to 11pm nightly.

Ryf Ziani and 5QU1D.

Zulkifle Mahmod's Deck Journey.

A series of activities and events has also been arranged during the festival which include free guided tours, workshops and also a photography competition in which participants will have a chance to win prizes worth up to $10,000 sponsored by LUMIX (who have also kindly lent LUMIX cameras for the Photo AmBayssadors and Official Bloggers to use during the period of the festival. More information can be found at the i Light Marina Bay 2012 website.

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All photographs in this post have been taken with a LUMIX GF-3.

You’ve gotta love that Verve

Nothing beats having simple things done right, and that is just what a Pizza Bar in Marina Bay, which had its opening on 1 Dec 2011, attempts to do with its selection of pizzas, pastas and gelato. “Simple things done right” is a guiding principle that has found its way into the motto of Verve, the group that behind the Pizza Bar which is the latest addition to its family, as well as Pizzerias in Clarke Quay and One North, having started out at its original location in Gillman Village.

Gelato being served on opening night on 1 Dec 2011. An exquisite set of flavours of Verve's homemade gelato is on offer at the Pizza Bar on Marina Bay at $6 a scoop.

Mr Rob Coldman and partner Karen on opening night.

The band played on ....

Verve, the brainchild of Mr Rob Coldman, is very much inspired by passionate people behind simple but great products that people want, products that are without complication and fuss. This includes the likes of Enrico Piaggio, whose vision of developing a low-cost motorcycle for the masses in the 1940s resulted in the Vespa scooter – the simplicity of which endures to this very day.

Pizzas, gelato, tiramisù shots, cocktails and more was on offer at Verve Marina Bay's opening night on 1 Dec 2011.

My introduction to Verve, came by way of an invitation to an event at the Marina Bay City Gallery which culminated in a tasting session at the al fresco Pizza Bar – the setting of which was simple and almost unassuming. Comfortably seated, it was what came next that delighted me. First to be served were the cocktails and if not for the fact that I was driving, I would have had more than one of the refreshing Appletinis, made with fresh Granny Smith apples. The selection of starters Calamari with Garlic Cream and Potato Wedges with Chilli Crab dip were simply well fried, drained and utterly delicious especially the Chilli Crab dip that accompanied the wedges.

An Appletini - made with fresh Granny Smith apples.

Verve Pizza Bar at the Marina Bay City Gallery.

Calamari with Verve Garlic Cream.

Potato Wedges with Chilli Crab dip.

What I certainly enjoyed the most were the pizzas – authentic thin crust Italian style pizzas made with fresh dough and topped with a simple and well-balanced selection of toppings that gave the pizzas a clean and uncomplicated taste – just how I like my pizzas. Of the pizzas we were to taste, the Enzo bowled me over with its toppings of Peking duck with just the right amount of sauce, fresh Japanese cucumber and spring onions –the menu did hint that “You’ll come back for more!” and its something I certainly would go back for a lot more! The other pizzas on offer, the Altobello (Spicy Beef), Mancini (BBQ Chicken) and Capricciosa (Ham and Artichokes), were no less delicious, and if not for the unique experience of Peking duck on pizza the Capricciosa would have got my vote.

Pizza Capricciosa with Mozzarella, tomato, mushrooms, artichokes, cooked.

Pizza Mancini - BBQ chicken with onions, cheese and peppers.

Pizza Enzo - Peking duck topped with fresh Japanese cucumber ... the menu suggests that "You'll come back for more!" - I certainly would!

There was also a treat at the end, a raid on the gelato bar. With a selection of Forrest Berries Sorbet, Decadent Chocolate, Lime Sorbet, Chocolate Baileys, Hazelnut, pistachio, Green Almond, Vanilla Cognac, Cookies and Cream – it was hard to make a choice. I finally settled on the Hazelnut – I somehow invariably fall for a nut flavoured gelato, something that I had no regrets about, savouring each mouthful of the soft creamy and nutty flavoured treat – something as well that I would most certainly be back again for more!

Too many choices at the gelato counter!

A selection of gelato.

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About Verve:

Verve was established with a short motto that has become the guiding principle to our business proposition. “Simple things done right”.

We’ve been inspired by passionate people who have set out to do the same. People who have provided simple but great products that people want, without complication and without fuss.

People like aeronautical designer, Enrico Piaggio who back in the 1940’s had a vision of a low-cost motorcycle for the masses.

Long before ergonomic studies had been recognised or fully understood, the riding position of the Vespa was designed by Enrico to let the rider sit upright with a clear view, comfortably and safely.

The motorbikes of the time he found to be uncomfortable and bulky, with wheels that were difficult to change after a puncture. Worse still, the drive chain made them dirty. However, his aeronautical experience secured the answer to every problem. To eliminate the chain he designed a vehicle with a stress-bearing body and direct mesh; he put the gear lever on the handlebar to make it easier to ride; to make tyre changing easier he removed the forks in favour of a supporting arm similar to an olio aircraft carriage. Finally, he designed a body that would protect the driver so that he would not get dirty or dishevelled.

In 1946 the first Vespa (Wasp in Italian) was born. It has become an enduring icon in it’s own right, and as transport for the masses is a perfect example of something simple, done right.

Classic images of Enrico’s work can be found at our new restaurant at One-North, off North Buona Vista Road.

Like Enrico’s Vespa, our aim is to continually improve.

http://verve.sg.

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Dawn of the curious colossal bunny

Many in Singapore would possibly have caught sight of a huge adorable white bunny popping up in their neighbourhoods all around island. The bunny or Walter as it is called, is an inflatable Helium filled PVC one and has made an appearance at the Marina Bay City Gallery (which it will be at until 30 September 2011). Together with a few other, I had the chance to meet Walter’s creator who is a Paris based Singaporean artist Dawn Ng, who was at the Marina Bay City Gallery to talk about Walter as well as about an upcoming exhibition she is holding in Singapore, ’31 Kinds of Wonderful’, for which she is in town for.

An illustration of Walter at the Marina Bay City Gallery by its creator Dawn Ng.

The curious colossal bunny outside the Marina Bay City Gallery (image source: URA).

For Dawn, creating Walter (who she says is very much a Singaporean) was very much an attempt to return to a past that has been overtaken by the ever-changing landscape of Singapore and a reaction to the prevailing sentiment that Singapore is boring. By creating a bunny, a pet in a colour that many children who kept rabbits as pets would remember them to be, and having it pop up at ordinary spaces all around Singapore (many of which Dawn has a childhood association with), Dawn hopes to draw attention to commonly overlooked spaces and have us relook at Singapore in the way children do. One interesting observation that Dawn made in speaking about her experience with guerrilla installations that involve Walter in Singapore is that there seems to be less resistance to them as most generally perceive that if there is something big appearing on their doorsteps – it must have received the blessings of the authorities.

Walter's made an appearance at various locations that are very much associated with Dawn Ng's childhood in Singapore (image source: http://www.dawn-ng.com).

Dawn also introduced an exhibition she is holding, ’31 Kinds of Wonderful’, which involves 31 individual creative pieces done over a period of 31 days of which her favourite was ‘Ming’. The exhibition will be held at A Curious Teepee and will open on 29 September 2011. For more information on Walter at the marina Bay City Gallery, do visit www.marina-bay.sg/walter.