Bandung City Glows With BDG Lights Festival

By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar

JAKARTA, Oct 6 (Bernama) -- Bandung in West Java lit up over the weekend as Bandung Design Biennale (BDG) Lights, a city-wide festival of light installations, transformed the historic Laswi Heritage complex into a striking showcase of art and design.

The three-day festival, held from Oct 3 to 5 under the theme “Menata Gelap”, is part of the broader Bandung Design Biennale, which runs until Oct 25.

It features projection mapping, live music, workshops and public talks, bringing together artists, designers, academics and the public to explore the role of light in urban life.

Over 20 local and international artists from Cyprus, Japan, Malaysia, Russia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand presented more than a dozen works, offering an immersive and interactive visual experience.

Malaysian digital media artist and co-founder of projection mapping community Filamen Enterprise, Abdul Shakir Abu Samah, said the festival provides a platform for cross-border collaborations among emerging artists.

“Bringing together artists from across Indonesia, including Yogyakarta and Surabaya, the festival strengthens the Southeast Asia Light Network and nurtures the region’s growing multimedia design scene,” he told Bernama.

Visitors, including students, academics, designers and the public, not only admired the displays but could also interact with some installations, creating their own light effects and making each visit unique.

The fusion of art, technology and architecture made it a hotspot for photography, social-media sharing and creative inspiration.

Laswi Heritage, built in 1928 as a railway warehouse and dry port, has been revitalised into a cultural hub blending colonial-era architecture with modern creative spaces where history and creativity coexist.

“We explore how light interacts with urban life and address issues such as public lighting, pedestrian access and environmental awareness,” said an academician at Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), Prananda L. Malasan.

Supported by Indonesia’s Directorate of Cultural Promotion under the Ministry of Culture, BDG Lights was the evolution of the ITB Light Festival in 2023.

The festival celebrates Bandung’s 215th anniversary and its status as a UNESCO Creative City of Design, while showcasing the region’s vibrant cross-border creative networks.

Festival director Banung Grahita said the event has emerged as a key platform for promoting new media art and design, fostering partnership and innovation, further positioning Bandung as a hub for creative talent.

-- BERNAMA