Denmark: Controversy over Nude Mermaid Statue

A nude mermaid statue in the Dragør fortress in Copenhagen has sparked public controversy in Denmark. The statue, known as "The Great Mermaid" (Den Store Havfrue), has been criticized as "pornographic" and as "a man's hot fantasy of what a woman should look like."

The statue, created by Peter Beck, was originally placed on the Langelinie pier in 2006, near the Little Mermaid statue, but was moved in 2018 after protests. The responsible agency for palaces and culture has requested its removal from the Dragør Fortress, arguing that it is not in line with the cultural heritage of the monument.

Art critic Mattias Kriger described the statue as "ugly and pornographic," while journalist Sorine Gotfredsen argued that it does not promote the acceptance of the female body. Peter Beck, for his part, states that he does not understand the criticisms and that the statue's breasts are simply "proportional to its size."

Despite the reactions, Beck hopes to find a way to keep the statue in the city, as he claims that many residents of Dragør express their support.