At Gardens by the Bay, where glass domes and curated landscapes already blur the line between nature and design, IMBA — Immersive Media-Based Arts Theatre — arrives as something both expansive and inviting. The two black boxes that house the gallery cover more than 80,000 square feet and feature state-of-the-art projection and sound systems that create a cinema-like atmosphere for visitors. 

It does not rely solely on spectacle, but on a simple idea: culture should feel within reach. As you walk inside for the first time, there is an ease to the space that almost feels surreal, as you are surrounded by artworks that present the exhibition from many different perspectives.

David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away) opens with an imaginative, interactive show that traces Hockney’s practice across 60 years of his art. These projections stretch across vast walls, collapsing time into a single, continuous experience with colour shifts, landscapes transform, and suddenly you are seeing through his perspective rather than your own; his love for new media really comes alive in this exhibition.

There is a point where the distance between artist and audience dissolves. The scale has an impact, making Hockney feel close, as if he were beside you, guiding you through his works. A single voice from the artist immerses you in his thoughts behind each piece. Even if you usually find exhibitions boring or hard to understand, this experience might change your mind. And if you get the opportunity, immerse yourself in the exhibition before it closes on 30 Jun 2026.

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In Botero: A Life in Fullness, the late Colombian artist Fernando Botero’s work is presented with a beautiful balance of intimacy and scale, or you could say “volume,” as he says it. The interactive exhibition brings the tone to a more personal level.

This is not simply an exhibition to watch, but a narrative exhibition—through the voice of his eldest son, Fernando Botero Zea—shaped by his life’s memories, from his early years in Colombia, reflections over a 7-decade career, and by his distinctive Boterismo style.

And if you would like to see his art up close, walk inside the gallery where his paintings, drawings, and sculptures reveal the structure behind his recognisable forms. The exaggerated proportions may seem playful at first, but they carry a discipline that becomes more apparent the longer you look.

The experience does not remain confined indoors. As you step outdoors, the effect of Botero’s work expands as his monumental bronzes rise into the landscape. While some visitors instinctively gather around them, some pause to take photos, and others circle them, taking in their presence from every angle, the vast difference in size is truly remarkable.

In a way, these sculptures are no longer just viewed for the sake of viewing but become part of the environment, inviting interaction that feels almost like a dialogue between the artist and the viewer. Moments from Botero’s life merge with scenes from his art. The experience is profound, moving between memory and imagination; his humour, struggles, and persistence appear as fragments.

Together, they gradually form a fuller picture, and sometimes it feels less like observing someone’s work life and more like entering his world. The exhibition opens this Sun, 26 Apr and will welcome visitors until 31 Jul 2026. As a bonus, ticket holders can explore Botero: Heart of Volume for free, now extended through 31 May 2026.

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Thinking back on both exhibitions, what I remember most isn’t one piece, but the feelings and purpose behind them. IMBA brings these experiences together and shows that culture isn’t set in stone. It can be broad or detailed, shared or personal. IMBA doesn’t expect you to know everything; it just invites you to experience the art these artists offer today.

For more details, refer here.