First Look At IMBA Theatre, Singapore’s Newest Immersive Arts Attraction
Experience artworks from Botero’s framed rotund masterpieces to projections of David Hockney’s modern digital art at IMBA Theatre, now open at Gardens by the Bay.
What if we told you that you could experience immersive digital art exhibitions like the ones shown at Tokyo’s teamLab Borderless or London’s Lightroom right here in Singapore? With the opening of Singapore’s first dedicated immersive, multi-sensory arts attraction, IMBA Theatre, you can now enjoy similar large-scale, tech-driven exhibitions permanently in Singapore.
See also: A New TeamLab Museum Is Opening At Singapore’s Gardens By The Bay
Located on the West Lawn of Gardens By The Bay, IMBA Theatre is a sprawling 80,000 square foot space where arts, culture and cutting-edge technology collide. It’s home to two Black Box theatres with 12.5-metre-high projection walls, a 12,500 square feet Gallery Space, curated dining options, an immersive cultural zone and the newly opened Stacked Store – a retail space stocked with artist collaborations, and exclusive merchandise inspired by the featured exhibitions.
Three large Botero bronze sculptures on display in the Gallery Space
While the Gallery Space is built for traditional, mixed media works such as tactile installations, paintings, sculptures and the like, IMBA’s Black Box theatres are truly what steal the show. Here, walls give way to floor-to-ceiling projections screens where monumental digital canvases and animated works surround you entirely, transforming the whole room into a moving image.
Current and upcoming exhibitions at IMBA Theatre
Botero exhibitions at IMBA theatre
While some may not be familiar with his name, the world sure is well acquainted with Botero’s iconic exaggerated rotund characters. Famed for his signature style, “Boterismo”, Fernando Botero is an artist and sculptor that features people and figures in large, bulbous forms. Right now, IMBA Theatre pays homage to the renowned Columbian artist with three exhibitions centered around his universe.
Botero’s oil paintings in Botero: Heart of Volume
Currently ongoing is Botero: Heart of Volume, a gallery display of the artist’s most famous works in both framed and sculptured forms. Here, you’ll get to admire Botero’s portraits and still life oil paintings, pencil and watercolour pieces and monumental bronze sculptures that toe the line between playful and political. This exhibition will be on display till May 31, 2026.
A bronze sculpture from Botero: Garden Grandeur
While the Gallery Space houses three of his large bronze sculptures and a few mini ones, Botero: Garden Grandeur provides an outdoor spectacle that displays Botero’s massive bronze sculptures on the grounds of Gardens by the Bay in their full glory. These will be on display till May 18, 2026.
Projections of Botero’s artworks from Botero: A Life in Fullness
Get a glimpse into the private world of Botero in Botero: A Life in Fullness, a 40-minute visual biography that peels back the layers of Fernando Botero’s personal and creative life, as narrated by his eldest son, Fernando Botero Jr (who even made a guest appearance on IMBA’s grand opening day). In this intimate experience, he walks us through how Botero’s personal experiences of being a father and living around the world – especially in the beloved town of Medellin, Colombia – shaped his artistic vision throughout the years. This immersive experience opens on April 26, 2026 and will be running till July 31, 2026.
David Hockney exhibition at IMBA theatre
Take a deep dive into the technicolour world of 1960s Pop Art movement icon David Hockney, with David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away), running until June 30, 2026. This 16-chapter digital showcase is an immersive plunge into Hockney’s mind and features pieces created through painting, disjointed photo collaging and digital technology – brought to life through 360-degree projections and vivid soundscapes.
Projection of Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) from David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away)
Created in collaboration with Lightroom UK, the 50-minute immersive experience details 60 years of Hockney’s career through his own words, and is interspersed with iconic artworks and live drawing sessions on his Ipad. You’ll get to quite literally stand inside a David Hockney painting as the Black Box envelops you in projections of sun-drenched pieces like Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) and Beverly Hills Housewife amongst many of Hockney’s other saturated landscapes and vibrant artworks.
IMBA Theatre is open daily from 9am to 9pm and is located at 18 Marina Gardens Drive, #01-23, Singapore 018953. Tickets for all exhibitions are now on sale and can be purchased here.