Statue too “pornographic”: the “big mermaid” in Denmark will be withdrawn from the public square

The statue of a mermaid erected near a fort in Copenhagen in Denmark will be withdrawn from the public square after having been deemed too “vulgar” and “pornographic”, causing a debate on discrimination based on physical appearance.

“Eriting a statue representing the ardent dream of a man on what a woman should look likely is unlikely. Furthermore, to promote the acceptance of their own body by many women. Meanwhile. For example, ” deplored Danish journalist and priest Sorine Gotfredsen, without chewing her words, in the local newspaper “Berlingske”, according to “The Guardian” on Monday.

The multiplied criticisms surrounding the statue “Den Store Havfrue” (or “La Grande Sirène” in French). located in Fort Dragør, on the old maritime fortifications of Copenhagen, ended up overcome the Danish agency for palaces and culture, which will remove the imposing art piece four by six meters from the public square, according to the British media.

This decision. explained by the fact that it did not correspond to the cultural heritage of the 1910 monument. occurs after several people spoke to denounce the “ugly and pornographic” statue, because of its more imposing chest, in the words of statue too “pornographic”: “big mermaid” new the art critic of Politiken, Mathias Kryger.

“It is really encouraging to note that many find this vulgar statue. not very poetic. undesirable, because we suffocate under representations of statue too “pornographic”: “big mermaid” invasive bodies in public space,” continued Sorine Gotfredsen.

The “Grande Sirène” of 14 tonnes was initially erected in 2006 near the popular statue of Copenhagen’s “Little Mermaid”. inspired by the fairy tale of Hans Christian Andersen. in response to the criticisms of tourists who found it too small.

Lise Giguère / QMI Agency

But it was moved for the first time in 2018 after the locals denounced it as “the false and vulgar mermaid”, noted “The Guardian”.

For his part. the artist. Peter Bech, struggles to understand the criticisms, when statue too “pornographic”: “big mermaid” new he said that the breasts of the stone statue are statue too “pornographic”: “big mermaid” “of proportional size” on its scale, according to the British media.

For others, this decision reflects the attitude of society towards the body of women.

“Should naked female breasts have a specific academic shape and size to be allowed to appear in public?” Questioned Aminata Corr Thrane. editor -in -chief of the debates of “Berlingske”. for whom the meticulous examination of the breasts of the siren is equivalent to a form of bodily stigmatization, according to “The Guardian”.

Especially since “the big mermaid” would be “a little less naked” than “the little mermaid”. which suggests that the problem indeed lies in the “more generous” size of his chest.

In the hope of keeping it in the city. the artist proposed to offer it to the Municipality of Dragør. which would have declined by indicating that statue too “pornographic”: “big mermaid” new the statue is “difficult to integrate” and that it “takes up a lot of space,” statue too “pornographic”: “big mermaid” reported the British media.