Body Heart and Soul was an art exhibition staged at various public spaces in the Marina Central District over 9 months. Four illuminated mirrored cubes that sense and respond to people travelled to different places and activated them by inviting human interaction to evoke delight. Special workshops were also run during the exhibition to further engage the community. The objective was to inject fun, place-making experiences to rejuvenate the district and cultivate its identity as a vibrant place for art, work, and leisure. Body, Heart and Soul illustrates the convergence of art, technology, and human consciousness within the public sphere.

Body, Heart and Soul was a travelling art installation that was exhibited at Marina Square, Millenia Walk, South Beach and Suntec City over nine months. Transforming itself each time, the installation aimed to activate various public spaces by providing interactive experiences, making them inclusive places for enjoyment.

We wanted to create interactive sensorial experiences that would engage and captivate a diverse audience. The installation consisted of 4 mirrored cubes approximately 3 x 3 x 3m in size. Each held an intricate crystal lattice, which was made up of almost 400 hand-knotted acrylic modules that can transmit and bend light. The cubes were configured differently according to the site and created illusory effects through reflection. This made the crystal lattice appear larger and transformed the visual perception of the surrounding space. The myriad optical effects set up by the cubes drew the eye of visitors and enticed them to get closer. Human poses, gestures and voices triggered programmed lighting behaviours designed to appeal to our curiosity, sense of play and wonder. The installation enabled visitors to experience otherwise familiar public spaces in a new and exciting way.

Body, Heart and Soul was further guided by two ideas. The first was to humanise technology. This art installation utilized advanced computer vision and machine learning algorithms but applied them in a playful way to create tangible experiences. The second idea was to minimise waste. The crystalline structure was made entirely out of recycled modules from the Singapore Pavilion for 2018 Venice Biennale, while the mirrored cube was designed for eventual disassembly into parts that can be reused in future building projects. The exhibit was accompanied by numerous educational workshops that reinforced these themes.