This bra has been hanging brazenly at a bus stop along Robinson Road, near the Ogilvy Centre for the past few days. At the next bus stop, there is a pile of household junk.

They have drawn quizzical looks and even disgust from commuters and the rush-hour office crowds.

But relax folks. These two items are "on display" to help publicise the upcoming Singapore Art Show 2007 by the National Arts Council (NAC).

Provocatively billed as "Is this art?", some people are not finding it funny or artsy.

Of the 12 people polled by AsiaOne, seven said the bra display was not art - and most of them were women. The rest thought it was a rather clever way to draw attention to the art show.

The bra has certainly drawn curious looks, said Ms Fazilah, 27, a strategic alliance manager.

"But it doesn't say anything," she added. "It's more like dirty laundry. It's too abstract to understand."

The NAC, when contacted by AsiaOne, said the campaign, by presenting ordinary things in a new light, "aims to create a talking point and get people to question the boundaries of art and life".

Other "teaser" objects on display that are culturally specific to Singapore include the money cat, army helmet and orange canteen bowl.

Land Transport Authority spokesman Naleeza Ebrahim said it has received "one feedback" on the art installations so far and directed it to the NAC.

AsiaOne readers are somewhat divided in their opinions.

“Your coming Art show just exposes how terribly sick you people are ”, fumes Hayashi.

While PL Chan emailed to say, “It depends on how you see it. If you have a conservative mind, then it is disgusting to see bra hanging in public.”

Regular AsiaOne forumer Stanley Wong felt that “it is art - only if the beholder thinks so.”

JackChen said that the display reminded him of a Malaysian artist. “Some years back, this lady drew an art painting of a single shoe. However the way it was drawn reminds some of a woman's private parts. Thus there was a commotion over the painting,” he said.

The Singapore Art Show, which alternates with the Singapore Biennale every other year, will be held from Aug 2 to Oct 8. Being held for the second time, it features homegrown art - more than 700 artworks and 400 artistes over 47 venues - in both its contemporary and traditional forms.

From batik to tattoos, the artworks will be displayed throughout the island - from traditional showcase venue Singapore Arts Museum to unusual places like beach bar Km8 on Sentosa and the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

So can one person's junk be another person's art? And is something art only when it is in a gallery? Find out more at www.isthisart.com.sg

Photos: Ng Kheng Wei