An art project went awry in Hong Kong, as police responded to reports of attempted suicide throughout the city, arriving to find that they were merely statues. Photo by Beyond My Ken/Wikimedia Commons

HONG KONG, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- An art project went awry in Hong Kong, as police responded to reports of attempted suicide throughout the city, arriving to find that they were merely statues.

Hong Kong police received calls at 9 a.m. and 2:20 p.m. regarding people standing precariously near the edges of tall buildings. When officers investigated the scene they found statues placed on these buildings as part of a public art project.


The statues were a part of British artist Antony Gormley's acclaimed project Event Horizon, which features 31 statues placed throughout Hong Kong in the largest public art project ever installed in the city.

Gormely reportedly received blessings from both the landlords and the local government to install the statues and police were also made aware of their presence.

These precautions have historically done little to prevent confusion, as the project has been installed in London, New York and Brazil where similar incidents of mistaken suicide attempts were reported.

One location on Hong Kong's St. George's building was particularly controversial, as an actual suicide had occurred there as recently as last year.

"It's very disturbing...it keeps reminding you that someone killed themselves here last year," a woman identified as Miss Leung told Apple Daily, according to Hong Kong Free Press.