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A large mural of a smoking woman on the outside of a conserved building in Singapore can remain in place but the owner has been fined for not seeking approval for the unauthorised works.
The Chinatown mural featuring a Samsui woman holding a cigarette – a subject of public debate in recent weeks – will be kept as it is without any changes to the artwork.
“This is in view of the fact that the mural is not an advertisement for tobacco, which is against the law, and is largely perceived as an art piece,” said the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and Ministry of Health (MOH) in a joint statement.
As the building owner did not seek approval before work on the mural started, a fine of S$2,000 for carrying out unauthorised works on a conserved building was issued. The building owner also continued with the work despite reminders to obtain approval.
The mural made headlines last month after the artist Sean Dunston said in an Instagram post on Jun 19 that he had been notified by URA to “get rid of the cigarette” by Jul 3.
URA told Channel News Asia that the mural on the conserved shophouse was completed without prior approval. But given public feedback, it would re-evaluate its stance on the artwork.
In their joint statement, the authorities said that although the mural is seen as an art piece, it does “normalise smoking”, which is against MOH’s policy.
“Had prior approval been sought, MOH would have raised concerns about the depiction of smoking to be featured in a prominent mural like this, and requested modification.
“We will therefore work with the building owner to find appropriate ways to mitigate any impact that the mural may have in promoting smoking, without modifying the mural itself,” the authorities said.
Many Samsui women historically took on work as labourers, such as at construction sites.
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