Latest news with #SorineGotfredsen
The Guardian
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Denmark to reportedly remove ‘ugly and pornographic' mermaid statue
A debate has erupted in Denmark over the fate of a mermaid statue that is to be removed from public view after being decried as 'ugly and pornographic' and 'a man's hot dream of what a woman should look like'. The Danish agency for palaces and culture is reportedly removing the 4x6 metre Den Store Havfrue (the Big Mermaid) from Dragør Fort, part of Copenhagen's former sea fortifications, because it does not align with the cultural heritage of the 1910 landmark. Politiken's art critic, Mathias Kryger, has branded the statue 'ugly and pornographic'. Sorine Gotfredsen, a priest and journalist, wrote in the newspaper Berlingske: 'Erecting a statue of a man's hot dream of what a woman should look like is unlikely to promote many women's acceptance of their own bodies.' She added: 'It's truly uplifting that many find the statue vulgar, unpoetic, and undesirable, because we're suffocating in overbearing bodies in public space.' The man behind the 14-tonne sculpture, Peter Bech, has said he does not understand the criticism, saying that the stone figure's breasts are simply 'of a proportional size' to its scale. Others have said the criticism reflects society's attitudes to women's bodies more generally – and not in a good way. For Aminata Corr Thrane, Berlingske's debate editor, the scrutiny of the mermaid's breasts was tantamount to body shaming. 'Do naked female breasts have to have a specific academic shape and size to be allowed to appear in public?' she wrote. Noting that the Big Mermaid was 'arguably a bit less naked' than her famed petite contemporary in bronze and granite, the Little Mermaid, Corr Thrane added: 'On the other hand, she has bigger breasts, and that's probably where the problem lies.' She added: 'Perhaps the two statues – the Big and the Little Mermaid – represent two sides of woman, and the eternal tug of war about what a real woman is. And perhaps even what a wrong woman is.' In 2006 the Big Mermaid was erected at Langelinie Pier in Copenhagen, near the Little Mermaid. But it was removed in 2018 after locals denounced it as 'the fake and vulgar mermaid'. It was subsequently moved to Dragør Fort, until the Danish agency for palaces and culture intervened in March, requesting its removal. Dragør municipality has since reportedly declined Bech's offer of donating it as a gift. Helle Barth, chair of Dragør muncipality's climate, urban and business committee, told Berlingske that although it was a nice offer, 'it's just hard to fit in. It takes up a lot of space.' Bech, who has said he made the statue in response to tourists' comments that the Little Mermaid – inspired by the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale – was too small, has said he is often told by people in Dragør that they love his sculpture. He is hoping to find a way to keep it in the town. The Danish agency for palaces and culture declined to comment.
The Independent
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Why a row has broken out over a ‘pornographic' statue
A large mermaid statue in Denmark, known as the 'Big Mermaid', is scheduled for removal from public view following criticism describing it as 'ugly and pornographic'. The 13ft tall statue, unveiled in Copenhagen in 2006 and later moved to Dragør Fort in 2018, has long been controversial due to its exaggerated figure and large breasts. Denmark's agency for palaces and culture concluded that the statue does not align with the cultural heritage of the 1910-era fort, prompting its decision for removal. Journalist Sorine Gotfredsen described the statue as 'a man's hot dream of what a woman should look like', while art critic Mathias Kryger labelled it 'ugly and pornographic'. Peter Bech, the statue's designer, defended his creation, asserting that the breasts are a 'proportional size' for a large woman and that the artwork attracts tourists.
News.com.au
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
‘Ugly and pornographic' Big Mermaid statue to be removed from Danish heritage landmark
A statue of a mermaid is set to be removed from outside a heritage landmark in Copenhagen following criticism of its 'ugly and pornographic' appearance. The Den Store Havfrue – the Big Mermaid – was first erected at Langelinie Pier in the Danish capital in 2006, near its famed Little Mermaid counterpart. After locals denounced it as 'the fake and vulgar mermaid' in 2018, the 14-tonne (14,000kg) sculpture was relocated to Dragør Fort, which served as one of Copenhagen's sea fortifications in 1910. The Big Mermaid's days outside the fort are numbered, according to a report by The Guardian, following public fury concerned with the size of the statue's breasts. 'Erecting a statue of a man's hot dream of what a woman should look like is unlikely to promote many women's acceptance of their own bodies,' priest and journalist Sorine Gotfredsen wrote in Danish newspaper Berlingske. 'It's truly uplifting that many find the statue vulgar, unpoetic, and undesirable, because we're suffocating in overbearing bodies in public space.' Art critic at Danish daily newspaper Politiken, Mathias Kryger, deemed the statue 'ugly and pornographic'. The sculpture – designed and commissioned by Peter Bech – will now be removed from the site by the Danish agency for palaces and culture because of its failure to align with the Dragør Fort's cultural heritage. Asked about the furore, Mr Bech reportedly told Berlingske that the mermaid's breasts are 'of proportional size' to its four-by-six-metre scale. The paper's debate editor, Aminata Corr Thrane, similarly argued that the scrutiny of the mermaid's breasts was an act of body shaming. 'Do naked female breasts have to have a specific academic shape and size to be allowed to appear in public?' Ms Corr Thrane wrote, pointing out that the statue was 'arguably a bit less naked' than the Little Mermaid. 'On the other hand, she has bigger breasts, and that's probably where the problem lies. 'Perhaps the two statues – the Big and the Little Mermaid – represent two sides of woman, and the eternal tug of war about what a real woman is. And perhaps even what a wrong woman is.' Mr Bech's statue 'was meant to be big in contrast to the famous Little Mermaid', author Philip Jepsen wrote on 'but it never achieved the iconic status and stature of the smaller famous sculpture, or recognition as great art'. The latter, which is made of bronze and granite and was created by Edvard Eriksen in 1913, is based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale of the same name, and is arguably one of Denmark's most famous landmarks.
Telegraph
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Denmark to tear down Copenhagen's ‘pornographic' mermaid statue
A statue of a mermaid with big breasts is to be removed from its location in Copenhagen after complaints that it is 'pornographic' and vulgar. The 13ft-tall Big Mermaid has been described as 'a man's hot dream of what a woman should look like', and its breasts have been the subject of controversy for years. It was unveiled in 2006 at a location a few hundred yards from the famous statue of The Little Mermaid, on Langelinie Pier. After complaints that the bigger mermaid was too sexualised, it was transferred in 2018 to Dragør Fort, part of Copenhagen's former sea fortifications, which lies several miles south of the city. Now, the Danish agency for palaces and culture is reportedly preparing to remove it altogether, saying that it does not fit with the cultural heritage of the fort, which dates back to 1910. Peter Bech, a Danish restaurateur who designed and commissioned Big Mermaid, said he could not understand what all the fuss was about, insisting that its breasts were a 'proportional size'. 'The mermaid has completely normal proportions in relation to her size. Of course the breasts are big on a big woman,' Mr Bech told Danish broadcaster, TV 2 Kosmopol. He argued that the statue attracts tourists, that criticism of it was 'pure nonsense' and added that he hoped a compromise could be reached so it could stay. Mathias Kryger, art critic for the newspaper Politiken, described Big Mermaid as 'pornographic'. Another journalist, Sorine Gotfredsen, wrote in the newspaper Berlingske: 'Erecting a statue of a man's hot dream of what a woman should look like is unlikely to promote many women's acceptance of their own bodies.' Other critics said the proportions of the mermaid amount to body-shaming for the majority of ordinary women.
Daily Mail
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Mermaid statue be removed after sparking criticism over its breasts
A mermaid statue in Denmark is set to be removed after it was deemed an unrealistic representation of a woman's body. The Danish Agency For Palaces And Culture will reportedly take down the Den Store Havfrue (the Big Mermaid) from Dragor Fort after criticism from locals. Mathias Kryger, a Danish art critic, branded the statue 'ugly and pornographic', while Sorine Gotfredsen, a priest and journalist, statue: 'Erecting a statue of a man's hot dream of what a woman should look like is unlikely to promote many women's acceptance of their own bodies.' Gotfredsen said it was encouraging to know that many people find the statue 'vulgar, unpoetic, and undesirable, because we're suffocating in overbearing bodies in public space'. Peter Bech, the man behind the sculpture, and Torben Bodtker, the Fort's owner, both believe the artwork is not of a pornographic nature. Bech said: 'I hear that many times. It's pure nonsense. The face is big, the upper body is big, the tail is big, and of course the breasts are big. The mermaid has completely normal proportions in relation to her size. Of course the breasts are big on a big woman'. While the statue, which was carved in Beijing, drew sharp criticism from many locals, some backed the artist and Fort owner in their position to keep the statue erected. For Aminata Corr Thrane, a debate editor for a local newspaper, the scrutiny over the mermaid's breasts was equivalent to body shaming. She said: 'Do naked female breasts have to have a specific academic shape and size to be allowed to appear in public?' Bech went on: 'It is placed in its high position to show that women have gained an independent place over time and to show the respect that women have achieved. I think it is well in line with the desire for more statues of women in general.' He said that Dragor Fort 'benefits greatly' from the on-site statue, raking in more stars on Google Maps than the Little Mermaid at Langelinie in Copenhagen. However, the assessment from the Danish Palaces And Culture Agency does not mention anything about the size or appearance of the statue's bust. Instead, the assessment states that the statue 'is not considered to fit into the cultural-historical environment' because it does not align with the cultural heritage of the 1910 Dragor Fort landmark. Since the removal of the sculpture has been in the works, Bech said he offered to donate his artwork to the municipality. This was swiftly declined. Helle Barth, chair of Dragor muncipality's climate, urban and business committee, told a local newspaper: 'It was a really nice offer, but it's hard to fit into Dragor - so we politely declined the offer. But the matter was discussed thoroughly and at length'. Following the announcement of its planned removal, the Fort's owner, Torben Bodtker, said: 'I'm sorry that it has to be removed. There are many people who come out here to see it. I've been very happy to have it standing as an attraction. Very happy. People have shown great interest in it'. Bech said he received an offer from a private sculpture park offering to buy the work. However, he declined, saying: 'It has gradually become part of Dragor's history. So I think it belongs here'. Therefore, Bech is now considering a citizen proposal as a possible way to preserve the statue's place somewhere in Dragor. 'It would be sad if it ended up in a parking lot somewhere. It's so much more than just a garden gnome,' he added.
