





Singapore’s Civil District celebrates 200 years of history with Light to Night Festival 2019 – Bicentennial Edition.

Followers of Singaporean night events would know by now. This year’s Light to Night Festival is divided into two phases, with official literature promoting the phases as two separate and unique experiences. To be quite, erm … honest, I was more than a little sceptical about this. I mean, it’s the same sort of show at the same civil district landmarks. The same timings too.

How different could they be?

Well, guess what? They are indeed different! Art Week was decisively avant-garde and adventurous in feel. The Bicentennial Edition, on the other hand, adopts a more traditional storytelling and celebratory direction.

Because it’s meant to celebrate Singapore’s journey to being a modern nation, many of these projections have a more distinctive Singaporean taste too. At the same time, accompanying soundtracks all display a strong cultural identity. One track even included a motif from the national anthem.

Light to Night Festival 2019 – Bicentennial Edition

Through Her Eyes. A summary of the history of the previous Supreme Court, through the eyes of Lady Justice herself. (Hmm, so she’s not completely blind behind the blindfold …)

The Resident. A kaleidoscopic homage to William Farquhar, the first British Resident and Commandant of Singapore. It’s interesting that Farquhar has in recent years, received so much limelight. Poor guy was so overshadowed by Raffles in our history books for decades. (And we used to make jokes with his name …)

I was fascinated by this one! Stronghearts at the Arts House. I had no idea there’s a Badang in Singaporean mythology. (And I thought I was a mythology expert from memorising Shin Megami Tensei lexicons)

The very danceable Intersections over at the Asian Civilisations Museum. Perfectly synced to Bhangra beats.

My favourite projection of the evening. Portraits of Performers from the Past at Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall. I loved it not only for the dreamy waltz music and classical art style, the whole projection sequence had a very, ahem, Castlevania clock-tower feel to it.

Back to the National Gallery Singapore. This is Sayang di Sayang, a tribute to Zubir Said. He’s the one composer who can claim his most famous composition is known to every Singaporean.

A heavily photoshopped shot of the City Hall Wing light projection.

Let me end this post by saying, I enjoyed the Bicentennial Edition light projections more than the Art Week ones.

Not that one was superior to the other; it’s impossible to compare with both being so different. But having near entirely photographed avant-garde and new-age displays over the last two years, it was refreshing for me to see projections built on classic concepts. For whatever reason, I enjoyed the accompanying music more too. After listening to the score for Sayang di Sayang, I’m of half a mind now to try arranging our anthem for the Electone.

Update Feb 1, 2019

Festive Food Market at St Andrew’s Road.

Went back to grab a shot of the festive food market while I was visiting i Light Singapore 2019. Couldn’t do so on Monday as the market only operates on weekends.







This surprised me a little. I expected the usual hipster food gathering. Well, it’s still hipster food, but the food market is smaller compared to those in other events. The way it’s laid-out on a street also invokes memories of open-air food streets of yesteryears.

Very thoughtful touch, I have to say.

Light to Night Festival 2018.

Read my other Festive Celebrations in Singapore posts.

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Summary Article Name Light to Night Festival 2019 – Bicentennial Edition Description Celebrating 200 years of Singaporean heritage and history with Light to Night Festival 2019 – Bicentennial Edition. Author The Scribbling Geek





