Art or harassment? Public divided over art campaign
Is this form of artistic expression creative or plain weird? Either way, it certainly has sparked conversations.
Over the weekend, a banner was put up at the foot of Pinnacle@Duxton at Cantonment Road, encouraging passers-by to stare at the windows of the homes above.
It reads: "Choose one apartment window above to look at. Keep staring until the inhabitant catches you staring."
Resident Huang Xizhen told Shin Min Daily News that she was aware of the banner, but added that she would feel harassed if strangers were to stare at her window from outside.
"It does not matter if it's just looking or being stared at. It all feels weird," said the 35-year-old. "I hope this form of art doesn't affect others."
Another resident, 26-year-old Chu Xuan felt the banner did not clearly indicate that it is promoting an art project.
But there were also other residents who felt the public project is meaningful.
Ms Lin Ke, 34, who is in the accounting industry, acknowledges the artistic value but said she is too busy with work to participate.
Another resident, Ms Wendy, said the activity encourages people to go beyond what they typically see in their daily lives.
The 38-year-old housewife added that she has encouraged her daughter to pay attention and observe these "small missions".
But the banner to encourage interactive art has also sparked a debate on social media, with netizens commenting under a Reddit thread.
"What is it they are trying to promote?" one of them asked, while another added that it may encourage stalking behaviour.
One netizen noted that the banner has managed to capture his attention and spark conversations.
The banner is part of A Daily Act, a creative project commissioned by the Singapore Art Museum's public art initiative The Everyday Museum (TEM).
According to TEM's website, the project focuses on everyday, mundane life occurrences.
Participants are encouraged to explore the emotional nuances of their daily routines, whether at home or on the streets.
As individuals go about a regular day, they may encounter such instructions.
"Over time, these prompts may lead their perceptions to shift, senses to sharpen and movements to become more deliberate," it said.
A museum spokesperson told AsiaOne that it had distributed 80 such messages using various collaterals such as flyers, banners and postcards around the Tanjong Pagar area.
The art project started on June 29 and will run until July 27.
It can be found at 12 other locations.
A signboard at Tras Link Park, for instance, encourages passers-by to "find comfort in its shadow on a hot sunny day", Shin Min reported.
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