US Edition
Denmark to Axe Copenhagen's 'Ugly and Pornographic' Mermaid Statue
DRAGØR, DENMARK, AUG 4 – The 14-tonne Big Mermaid statue faces removal for conflicting with a 1910 cultural landmark, with critics calling it vulgar and officials citing heritage protection concerns.
- Earlier this year, the Danish Palaces and Culture Agency ordered the removal of the granite 14-tonne Den Store Havfrue from Dragør Fort, saying it does not fit into the 1910 landmark’s cultural-historical environment.
- Historically, the Big Mermaid was first installed in 2006 at Langelinie Pier near the Little Mermaid, then removed in 2018 after locals branded it 'the fake and vulgar mermaid' and relocated to Dragør, 15 kilometres south of Copenhagen.
- Critics including Mathias Kryger called the statue `ugly and pornographic`, while Corr Throne continued: `On the other hand, she has bigger breasts, and that’s probably where the problem lies`.
- Responding to the removal order, Paw Karslund proposed moving the sculpture to Tårnby Strandpark, while Peter Bech seeks ways to keep it in Dragør.
- Broader controversies persist as Sorine Gotfredsen, priest and journalist, said `It’s truly uplifting that many find the statue vulgar, unpoetic, and undesirable`, reflecting ongoing public debates.
49 Articles
49 Articles
The statue 'The Great Mermaid', by artist Peter Bech, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's popular tale of 'The Little Mermaid' and located near a popular sculpture of the same name, will be removed from its current location, at Fort Dragor in Copenhagen, Denmark, because it is considered 'pornographic', according to local media. Thus, it would have been the Danish Agency for Palaces and Culture itself that has requested the removal of this wor…
Sydney Morning Herald
Denmark to tear down Copenhagen’s ‘pornographic’ mermaid statue
The four-metre tall “Big Mermaid” statue, originally erected near Langelinie Pier and then moved to Dragor Fort, is to torn down due to its reportedly ‘pornographic’ and unrealistic depiction of women, particularly the size of the statue’s breasts.
A statue of 4 meters generated controversies and debates around the representation of female bodies in public space.
Work by Peter Bech in 2006
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 45% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
