Festival Directors’ Message

FOREWORD

Light to Night 2023 celebrates what it really means to be in the present. The theme of “Here & Now” is a reminder for us to reflect on one’s time and the environment. It also draws our attention to art as a platform to document and respond to our lived experiences.

With over 60 compelling programmes offered over the course of three weeks, we hope the festival will encourage our audiences to expand their notions of how artworks can be explored and imagined in new spaces, especially with the aid of innovative technologies. The festival is also dedicated to showcasing new ideas and spotlighting diverse perspectives and the voices of those who are less represented. We have done this by starting youth mentorship programmes and new commissions from various artists.

We hope that the different exhibitions and programmes—both online and onsite—presented by Asian Civilisations Museum, Esplanade—Theatres on the Bay, Funan, National Gallery Singapore, Singapore Symphony Group, and The Arts House will give you the opportunity to contemplate and consider contemporary topics.

We welcome you to journey with us and share about what really matters to you, and together, we can begin to collectively imagine how we may move forward together.

Art has long been a way for us to uncover new ways of thinking about difficult issues, including the climate crisis. The Black Forest series was made by one of Singapore’s most notable artists, Han Sai Por, and is a commentary about the ongoing destruction man is causing to the Earth. Han touches on this topic once again with fellow artist Flex Chew and sound artist Axel Serik with Changing Landscapes, one of the light projections featured at this year’s Light to Night Festival.

Other artists from Southeast Asia have been inspired by reflecting on the world around them, resulting in a striking light show that will be projected on the Gallery’s façade, featuring new commissions by Lolay and KOBORED (Thailand), and Budi Agung Kuswara and Studio Batu (Indonesia). Other light projections within the Civic District include Dreamer by Ari Dykier (Poland), Pulse by Felix Frank (Germany) and Here and Now by students from the School of the Arts (Singapore).

Complementing these artworks is an extensive programme of events that has grown to include talks, games and performances as we celebrate the return of our festival village on the Padang with food stalls and merchandise. The space will also be occupied by two large-scale installations by Atelier Sisu (Australia) and Sai (Singapore), both of which evoke a sense of playfulness and encourage interaction from viewers.

We hope that this year’s festival offers multiple platforms that encourage spontaneous and ephemeral encounters with art, while also providing viewers the chance to reflect on the world and who we are now.