A 14-tonne mermaid statue in Denmark, dubbed 'ugly and pornographic' by critics, is set to be removed from public view. The Danish Agency for Palaces and Culture has requested the removal of the 4x6 metre sculpture, known as Den Store Havfrue (the Big Mermaid), from Dragør Fort in Copenhagen, citing that it does not align with the cultural heritage of the 1910 landmark.
The statue has sparked a debate over its depiction of the female body. Mathias Kryger, art critic for Politiken, branded it 'ugly and pornographic'. Sorine Gotfredsen, a priest and journalist, wrote in Berlingske that the statue represents 'a man's hot dream of what a woman should look like' and is unlikely to promote women's acceptance of their own bodies.
However, others have defended the sculpture. Aminata Corr Thrane, Berlingske's debate editor, argued that the criticism amounts to body shaming, questioning whether female breasts must have a specific shape to be displayed publicly. She noted that while the Big Mermaid is arguably less naked than Copenhagen's famous Little Mermaid, her larger breasts seem to be the issue.
The statue was originally erected at Langelinie Pier in 2006 but was removed in 2018 after locals denounced it as 'fake and vulgar'. It was then moved to Dragør Fort, where it remained until the agency's intervention. Dragør municipality has declined an offer from sculptor Peter Bech to donate the statue, citing space constraints. Bech, who created the piece in response to tourists finding the Little Mermaid too small, hopes to find a way to keep it in the town.
