Lit by Mah Sing: Arts & Lights @ Icon City

What is Arts & Lights

Called Arts & Lights, which is quite self-explanatory, it is an art exhibition featuring lights installations and colourful pop-up art. Dubbed the Malaysia’s first interactive pop-up art and technology experience (which I kind of doubt so), this exhibition is organised by Mah Sing Group. Most Malaysian would know what Mah Sing is, but for those of you foreign readers who didn’t, Mah Sing Group is a Malaysian-listed real estate developer with notable projects around Klang Valley, Penang and Johor Bahru. 

So why is a real estate company suddenly organising an art exhibition? Set within the space of 3000 sq m in Icon City, one can easily guess that it’s a marketing strategy by the group to advertise their properties. As if it’s not obvious enough, the exhibition are divided into different rooms named after their properties. Think: Southville, Ventura, Meridin, Vertica, Vista and D’sara. Sounds familiar? There are even properties models placed next to the queue. 

I personally think it’s a smart move by the marketing team. Have to give it to them. If you have never heard of those properties before, now you have. And I bet, you will start to pay slightly more attention to the group’s properties from now on.

When, where and how much is the admission fee?

Date: Saturday and Sunday, from 19 November 2017 until 24 December 2017

Time: 12pm - 9pm (last entry at 8pm)

Location: Icon City Central Park, Tower 3 and Tower 5

Admission is free but to control crowd, number of entries per day is limited, so visitors must reserve their tickets online at https://www.artsandlights.com.my/https://www.artsandlights.com.my/. Well, at least that’s what they say. What I think is that the exhibition is free in exchange for the email you use for registration. So be prepared to receive newsletter in the future, but I don’t think that’s an issue since it’s mainly advertisement on Mah Sing’s new and upcoming project. No harm to be informed of potential properties if you would like to invest, right?

Admission is only granted with the show of your registration proof. Once it is verified, you get stamped on your hands and you are then free to roam the entire exhibition space.

What to expect?

Indoor

Level 5

Vista Interactive Wall (No.1 on the map)

What it is: Design your own space ship, scan your creation, and watch it come to life in animated form at the huge Vista Interactive Wall.

My experience: None (I skipped this since I had limited time and this isn’t very interesting by the look of it)

Planet Vertica (No.2 on the map)

What it is: The room is covered in images of planets and stars on beautiful purple wall, with two bronze horses stand in the middle of the space.

My experience: None (I skipped this since I had limited time and the queue is way too long) but I think it should be one of the highlight.

Galaxy of Centura (No.3 on the map)

What it is: Giant inflatables light-up balls that changes colours and sounds when you tap them.

My experience: None (I skipped this since I had limited time and the queue is way too long) but I think it’s going to be kids’ favourite.

D’sara Music and Lights (No.4 on the map)

What it is: Round fluorescent bulb on the floor. See the lights change as you step on them.

My experience: Took this while queuing up for Flying Over Meridin East. There are several of these on the floor and you don’t have to queue. Effortless is the best to describe this.

Southville Space Party (No.5 on the map)

What it is: Brightly-lit “Space Party” on soft a pink wall, with Stormtrooper and Darth Vader headgears provided for photo-taking.

My experience: None (I skipped this even though the queue is short since I wanted to quickly make my way to Level 3A before I ran out of time) but the pink wall with bright lights makes for a perfect OOTD short. The ladies will definitely like this. So will Star Wars die-hard fan.

Dimension Room (No.6 on the map)

What it is: Reminiscence of ’80s pop art, a space with colourful mannequins and stark black grids on white walls.

My experience: I love everything geometrical and there’s no queue.

Flying Over Meridin East (No.7 on the map)

What it is: Christmas tree, colourful confetti. Fan. Get it?

My experience: One of the only two installations I was willing to queue for. It’s Christmas and there’s a Christmas tree. And there’s beautiful confetti, which means it’s boomerang time! 

Anti-Gravity (No.8 on the map)

What it is: Yellow painted space with “floating” objects scattered around. Think “upside down house”

My experience: Basically no queue, but the space was overcrowded with people and I resorted to only taking photos in one small tiny corner. 

Others

There are others unnamed lights installation at the entrance of Level 5, with relatively short queue.

Level 3A

Lakeville Rolling Comets (No.10 on the map)

What it is: Shake, rattle and roll. Bounce off giant coloured balloons and have a ball of a time no matter whether you’re young or old.

My experience: None (I skipped this since I had limited time and this isn’t very interesting by the look of it)

Aruna in the Sky (No.11 on the map)

What it is: Giant moon in the middle of the room surrounded by fuzzy clouds that glow beautiful shades of purple and blue, with calming music played in the background.

My experience: Short queue but even shorter time in the room. We got shooed out of the room before my partner-in-crime managed to get a perfect angle. But it’s one of the popular ones and definitely a crowd pleaser.

Outdoor

Level 3A

Viam 2.0 By MUKK (No.9 on the map)

What it is: Hanging disc reflecting the changing disco lights on the background. A ladder is provided, which comes in handy for the short petite ladies like me.

My experience: Short queue but photo-taking is challenging due to the lights and angle. But if you get it right (I’ve seen the girls in front of mine with success), it’s pretty instagrammable.

Moons of Meridin (No.12 on the map)

What it is: Lighted LED moon swing near the fountain.

My experience: None (I left this place by 8.30pm as I had a dinner appointment)

Digi Wishing Tree (No.13 on the map)

What it is: Thousands (or maybe just hundreds) of yellow ribbons in a small tiny booth near the entrance.

My experience: None (I left this place by 8.30pm as I had a dinner appointment and it doesn’t look very interesting to me)

Others

LED lights along the walkway and at the fountain. Think LED rose but in the form of other shapes. 

Food trucks

There are selling food trucks on Level 3A but since I wasn’t hungry I didn’t check them out. You definitely won’t have to starve yourself during your visit.

Arts & Lights v2.0

Miss this art exhibition? Fret not, as Arts & Lights v2.0 is here again. Riding on the popularity of the first exhibition, this time around, Mah Sing is holding the exhibitions in 2 new venues as follows:

Rainbow Riot @M Centura runs daily from 6 Jan - 28 Jan 2018.

The Speakeasy @M Vertica will be held every weekend from 20 Jan - 11 Feb 2018.

New installations are expected at these two venue, with “Speakeasy” theme centred around the 20s glitter and grit while “Rainbow Riot” is filled with colours.

Similar to Icon City, admission is free but visitors must reserve their tickets online at https://www.artsandlights.com.my/ due to limited number of entries.

If you ever visit Arts & Lights v2.0, let me know how it is. I might make a trip down if it’s interesting enough. *wink*

Epilogue

The whole experience kind of reminds me of Singapore’s annual event – iLight Marina Bay, except that iLight Marina Bay is purely outdoor, and that it’s best experienced at night when the sun is down. Mah Sing’s Arts & Lights, on the other hand, can be explored in the day as their indoor installation wouldn’t be affected.

I’d personally suggest visiting Arts & Lights in the afternoon to fully utilise your time with the indoor installation, then spend the remaining night time for the outdoor ones. I had limited time during my visit as I went at 6pm ( I had an appointment at the day and was only free at late evening). Turned out, I skipped many interesting installations as I ran out of time.

Some friends commented that this exhibition doesn’t worth the time and effort and I can hardly agree on that. I do agree that it’s not an experience to die for, but if you are free, and that venue isn’t too far away from you, it’s not a bad idea to take a look. The installations make for a fun day out with like-minded friends if you enjoy taking instagrammable shots, or if you are training (or being trained to be) an Instagram-Boyfriend (or Instagram-Husband for that matter). But if you have something better to do, you can definitely give this a miss.

PS: This is not a sponsored entry (how I wish but I’m too insignificant to be sponsored). Just merely sharing my adventure, as usual!