"Choose one apartment window above to look at. Keep staring until the inhabitant catches you staring."

This was printed on a banner put up at Duxton Plain Park, adjacent to Pinnacle@Duxton.

The banner, part of a public art initiative by the Singapore Art Museum (SAM), has drawn mixed reactions — including concerns about the behaviour it was encouraging.

However, SAM says it has only received positive feedback on the initiative.

The banner is located right beneath the apartment building, and passersby who follow its instructions can easily see what is happening in some of the flats if residents do not shut their curtains.

Art initiative by Singapore Art Museum

The banner was developed by Atelier Hoko, an "independent research lab that focuses on the study of the growing disengagement between people, things, and space", according to its website.

The banner is also a part of The Everyday Museum, a public art initiative by the Singapore Art Museum.

Individuals who walk past the banner are asked to scan a QR code to upload their responses via a Google form.

According to the Google form, the banner is a project under "A Daily Act", which "attempts to find beauty in the mundane by encouraging participants to explore and engage more closely with their everyday routines".

Members of the public can look out for instructions under "A Daily Act" across Tanjong Pagar between Jun. 29 to Jul. 27, such as Duxton Plain Park Green and Tanjong Pagar Plaza, according to its website.

Infringement of privacy?

The banner prompted mixed reactions on- and offline.

A Reddit user who spotted the banner on Jul. 2 questioned whether the banner was promoting "stalker-ish behaviour".

Similarly, a resident told Shin Min Daily News that if anyone were to really stare at her window, she would feel "harassed".

"Whether it was staring at others or being stared at, it would be very strange. If it were an art project, I hope the artists could adopt formats that would not affect others," she said.

Thought-provoking artwork?

However, not all residents thought the banner was infringing on their privacy.

Another resident said that while the banner's instruction was controversial, it allowed passersby to engage in an interesting and artistic activity, as the residents had unknowingly become part of the scenery for passersby.

Yet another resident concurred that the banner offered a great opportunity for people to "see things beyond their daily routines" and discover the beautiful aspects of life.

She added she had encouraged her daughter to observe and think about the different tasks.

Statement from Singapore Art Museum

In response to Mothership's queries, a spokesperson for SAM said the museum has not received "direct feedback on privacy" but has "received some positive reactions" through its Google form, which invites responses from participants.

In a separate statement, the spokesperson also shared the reason behind the banner's instruction, explaining that it "embraces the natural human impulses that arise" when individuals pass by residential flats like Pinnacle@Duxton.

"The instructions are developed specific to their location and invite us to take note of and rethink everyday actions," added the spokesperson.

SAM's full statement can be found here:

Top images via Winnie Li/Mothership