Anna Hartz
The Artist Defends Mermaid Statue as Officials Call for Its Removal
Public art often sparks debate. Statues placed in parks, squares, and harbors can make people think, reflect, or sometimes just get upset.
That’s what’s happening right now in Denmark, where a large statue of a mermaid may soon be removed because of how she looks.
“Ugly and Pornographic”
The sculpture, called the Great Mermaid, weighs 14 tons and stands at Dragør Fort near Copenhagen, according to the Guardian.
It has stirred strong opinions. Some locals say her body is too exaggerated. Others believe it’s an artistic expression that should be left alone.
The Danish Agency for Palaces and Culture has ordered the statue to be removed. Officially, they say it does not match the historical setting of the fort.
But many believe the real reason is that some find the mermaid’s shape inappropriate. Art critic Mathias Kryger called the statue “ugly and pornographic.”
Journalist and priest Sorine Gotfredsen wrote that it reflects a man’s fantasy of the perfect woman.
She believes it sends the wrong message about body image, especially for young women.
Unfair Backlash?
The artist, Peter Bech, disagrees. He says the proportions are natural for a statue of this size. He thinks the backlash is unfair.
He originally created the statue in 2006 as a bigger alternative to the famous Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, which many tourists found underwhelming.
But the Great Mermaid has had a bumpy history. It was moved in 2018 from its original location after neighbors protested, calling it “fake and vulgar”. Now its future is once again uncertain.
Some people are defending the sculpture. Corr Thrane, an editor at the newspaper Berlingske, argues that society is too quick to judge women’s bodies.
She questions whether public statues of women must follow certain rules to be accepted.
She even compares the new mermaid to the Little Mermaid statue, saying maybe the two show different sides of womanhood.
The Danish agency for palaces and culture requested its removal back in March.
Bech continues to search for a solution to keep it erected somewhere in the city.
