I Light Singapore 2022 returns - but is it worth a trip?

The annual light festival returns after a 2-year hiatus, boasting 20 light installations for their

10th year running.

Written by Y.S. Chia

After a 2-year hiatus, Singapore’s annual I light festival - a festival celebrating sustainable light art, has returned. The festival boasts an impressive collection of 20 exhibits from local and international artists - all free and goes on till 26 June.

Now unless you’ve been staying off social media(in which case hats off to you), you have probably seen some of the works circulating online. Some of you may also have seen the crazy crowds on TikTok and been contemplating going.

So if you’re wondering if it's worth a visit, we at Honest People went down to check it out - because we like taking photos and give honest reviews.

(Our travel direction is shown via the arrows)

What we saw:

To avoid the big crowds, we went on a Monday night. We’ve seen all 20 exhibits, but we don’t think you need to. That being said, art is in the eye of the beholder.

So, we’ve decided to talk you through what we liked about the festival and what we didn’t.

What We Liked: I Light Singapore 2022 is all about the exhibits and as compared to past iterations, there has been a wider focus on appealing to the general audience this year.

Unworldly Attractions:

Some attractions are full of unworldly experiences.

Take MOTHEREARTH for example. The first of 20 exhibits, the Art Science Museum projection sets a perfect primer. The 3d models of data made the museum look like a living creature, and I felt as if I was one of the particles watching his friends drift.

While not part of the event, the ongoing Oppo Light Show which costs $8 for a half an hour visit also transported us to another world. Its entrance lies next to the big fruit exhibits on the lower pier. While there was an initial queue, it dissipated quickly as the place can take up to 250 visitors at once (rest assured numbers don’t go that high).

Its five exhibits include Through the Unknown, The Seasons, Reflections, The Prism and Forest of Lights.

The Unknown’s glowing triangular structure made me feel like a time traveller going through a high tech portal.

The Seasons shows the different seasons projected onto a curved screen. Meanwhile, Forest of Lights was an arena of fluorescent light tubes that lighted up in unison.

With the latter being wrapped around the first, cleverly timed smoke and music - visually I felt like I was teleporting through different worlds - from the cherry blossom gardens in anime to the magical forests you see in musicals.

If you ever wanted to feel like animated desktop wallpaper, this is your chance. The Reflections interactive screen requires big movements but made me feel like the avatar of RGB colours.

For those who still can’t get over Dr Strange’s Multiverse of Madness, The Prism is your chance for your photo op! I was a tad bit disappointed that the staff only used the Oppo phone though. They email it to you for free but don’t get your hopes up about a great photo - it's so-so.

Diagonally opposite the Marina Bay Financial Centre, Firefly Field is another immersive piece. The drifting lights pass off as serene fireflies. Be prepared for a crowd however due to the attraction having its designated pathway. That said on weekdays there’s enough space for you to get your viewing spot.

Opposite the Esplanade, React’s glowing neon lights gave a peaceful flowing atmosphere that made for a nice rest stop for those who walked from Marina Bay.

A Stone's throw from React, Bondfire is another transformative exhibit that doubles as a great photo op. As we walked amongst the pallets smoke began filling the air, making it feel like a cosy campfire.

Interactivity

Interactivity also seems to be a trend that I welcomed.

The Light Canvas, outside the red dot museum, let me free my inner child and go to town scribbling things on the whiteboard. What’s great is that writings stay long enough for users to snap pictures but disappear in time for the next!

There’s also a kinetic board that lets a sole user “paint” though it's a bit slow.

I hated Circuit breaker, but I got to admit I, and I think I speak for most of us, found Alone Together relatable. The fact that you can change what the residents did was a heartwarming touch and reminder that we’re in charge of our stories. It's located opposite the Marina Bay Financial Centre.

I was also looking forward to Scribble-jam, where you can light paint under the Esplanade bridge, however, it has been closed till further notice. On the topic of service - the attraction staff we met were friendly!

What we didn’t like: The Crowd: After a 2-year hiatus, it makes sense for crowds to form at the exhibits but the management of them could improve.

The Plastic Whale, right outside Marina Bay Sands, is grammable, but the queue to enter outweighed our patience.

Some of the interactive exhibits also require you to scan a QR code, however, weekend crowds may make it a lot harder to get your chance to interact.

Slightly Underwhelming Attractions:

I Light 2022 stretches across from Esplanade Park to Marina Bay; that said, the must-sees are mostly at the Marina bay side. This means if you’re walking to or from Esplanade park there is quite a walk before you see any big exhibits again.

Some exhibits like the Swans, hidden at OUE Tower's fountain, are so lowkey you might just miss them.

The Underworld is also slightly underwhelming, perhaps because it's sandwiched between the giant moon of Meet Me Under the Moon and the smoke-filled Bondfire exhibit.

No updates:

The Here and There attraction outside Marina BaySands, which was presented as an interactive see-saw, was not accepting any visitors on our visit - neither was it on previous days either. (UPDATE as of 12 June 2022 - The Here and There attraction is operational again and accepting visitors. Do expect a queue.)

We also never got information that Scribble Jam was closed till we got to the location - which mind you was at Esplanade. Thankfully there were other exhibits to pique our interest.

Our Honest Opinion - 3/5

Pretty Lights, Painful Crowds

20 is a big number - that said not all 20 attractions are stunners, but hey maybe this is just on me. What I can say is nobody likes big crowds. Perhaps something needs to be done about crowd management, especially on weekends. A more open concept seemed to do well for the Light Canvas and could work with the other attractions(I’m looking at you Plastic Whale.) There is quite a bit of distance between some exhibits which highlights the importance of information on the operation of each one too. If you want, you could visit the different areas on different days but I would strongly suggest going on weekdays.

I light Festival 2022 goes on till 26 June, starting at 7:30 pm and ending at 11:30 pm.

Part of me believes I Light 2022 is just starting its engine after a 2-year break, and I look forward to seeing what they have planned next year.

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Looking for dinner to go with your I Light Walk? Stay tuned for our coverage of Gastrobeats 2022!

Have an interesting place you want us to check out? Send us an email at Getahonestreview@gmail.com or DM us on socials!

About the Writer: Y.S. Chia(he/him) is our 20-year-old Honest Agent who loves going on adventures - be it hiking nature trails or checking out Singapore's latest festivals. When he's not out and about, you can find him being a potato watching netflix or on the rare occasion - at the gym.