The annual National Day Parade may have been scaled down in a bid to slow the spread of the infectious coronavirus this year, but local monuments and arts institutions will still be celebrating Singapore’s independence through a massive light-up across the month of August.
At the Bras Basah.Bugis Precinct and the Civic District, witness a spectacular showcase by 10 national monuments and heritage sites as they glow in bursts of red and white during evening hours from now till Aug 30 to symbolise how Singaporeans are #UnitedThroughCulture during this National Day period.
Ten buildings including The Armenian Church; Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM); Cathedral of the Good Shepherd; Central Fire Station; Chijmes; Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay; National Gallery Singapore; National Museum of Singapore; The Arts House; and the Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall (VTVCH), considered integral sites of nation building, as well as representative of Singapore’s achievements and values throughout our history, will be illuminated as a showcase of our cultural solidarity.
Gallery Light Up featuring Work From Home (Over the Balcony) by Loo Hui Jing
Both the ACM and National Gallery Singapore will be drenched in swathes of red and white light, with the latter’s exterior featuring projections of 60 original artworks by artists in Singapore. In an open call, the Gallery invited visual artists to provide a new perspective to the National Collection and the selected designs are to form a rotating projection on the Gallery’s central veiled canopy, illuminated by colourful lights on its facade.
Meanwhile, the National Museum will be entirely blanketed in a special projection of the National Day 2020 theme, Together, A Stronger Singapore. The exhibit will be featured in all four official languages.
And over at the Bras Basah.Bugis precinct that’s home to four national monuments, check out the representation of universal brotherhood as well as purity and virtue as these buildings also pay homage to Singapore’s flag.
Then see Esplanade’s spiky domes be lit in red and white before a Lion Head symbol gets added on during National Day. At the Esplanade Forecourt Garden facing the Padang, also expect to encounter shades of amber, blue and lavender as the hues change continuously over the next couple of weeks.
Finally, The Arts House will spotlight two breathtaking installations inspired by local creatives on its lawn, namely In Universe by Troy Chin and Sherlock Sam and the Supper Club by writers A.J. Low and illustrator Drewscape.
But besides the visually appealing light-ups, several of the local cultural venues and museums are presenting exciting NDP programmes too—onsite and digitally. So don’t forget to check those out to participate in fun events wherever you may be. And remember that social distancing rules still apply even as you grab gorgeous photo-ops of the art projections around town.
The 10 national monuments and arts and cultural institutions across the Bras Basah.Bugis Precinct and the Civic District will be lit up from now till Aug 30 during evening hours. For more information, visit the respective venues’ social media pages and websites.
