Issue resolved’: Artist adds anti-smoking sign to Singapore’s samsui woman cigarette mural after backlash

SINGAPORE — A plaque carrying an anti-smoking message has been installed at the controversial samsui woman mural in Chinatown here, which sparked public debate last year over its depiction of smoking.

CNA reported that Singapore Ministry of Health (MOH) and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) said the building owner proposed the installation of an “interpretive plaque” and that the mural itself will remain unaltered.

“The artist stresses that the cigarette depiction is not intended to glamorise or promote tobacco use. Smoking has been shown to be extremely harmful to one’s health,” said the plaque, referring to artist Sean Dunston.

Dunston told CNA the plaque’s text was co-written by him and the building’s landlord, with edits from the URA, to address concerns over normalising smoking while retaining the artwork.

“The overall intention was to create an iconic, vivid composite of a Samsui Woman in her prime and in a moment of peace,” the plaque added.

According to CNA, Dunston said he initiated the inclusion of the anti-smoking message as part of the agreement allowing the mural to remain, and also suggested the plaque’s placement and design.

“The anti-smoking message is there to reiterate something everyone already knows. Smoking is bad for you. Try not to smoke. Issue resolved,” he said, saying the plaque went up on Thursday.