The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, created by artist Edvard Eriksen in 1913, has become one of Denmark’s most iconic attractions, symbolizing both national heritage and the intersection of popular culture with public space.

However, its fame has made it a recurrent target for various acts of intentionally inflicted damage, many of which serve as direct commentaries on cultural, political, or social issues.

Shortly after its installation, the statue became ingrained in Danish culture as a symbol not only of Hans Christian Andersen’s beloved fairy tale but also of the city’s maritime legacy and its openness to visitors.

Over time, however, the statue developed a parallel reputation as a blank canvas for protest, rebellion, and artistic statement—positioning itself at the intersection of mainstream cultural identity and countercultural critique.

Vandalism incidents have repeatedly brought it to the forefront of headlines and public discussion, stoking both condemnation and curiosity .

Chronicle of Major Acts of Intentional Damage:

1.

First Decapitation (April 1964): The most infamous act of vandalism occurred on April 24, 1964, when unknown assailants sawed off the statue’s head and stole it completely.

Despite investigations, the head was never recovered and a new one was cast and attached.

This incident shocked the public, prompting debates about security and the meaning behind such a forceful act.

While the perpetrator was never formally identified, it is believed to have been an act of countercultural protest, potentially influenced by contemporary art movements and the increasing wave of rebellion against established cultural icons in the 1960s .

Severed Arm (July 1984): The statue lost its right arm in another overnight act of vandalism.

The arm was later returned by the perpetrators, four young men who reportedly did so as a prank.

The police were able to retrieve and reattach the arm soon afterward.

Although this incident lacked a clear political motive, it re-emphasized the vulnerability of the statue and reinforced its status as a magnet for attention-seeking vandalism .

Second Decapitation (January 1998):

In a grim echo of the earlier event, vandals once again sawed off the Little Mermaid’s head.

However, unlike in 1964, this time the head was discovered nearby and restored to the statue after forensic and restoration work.

The motive appeared to echo the original decapitation, reaffirming the statue’s vulnerability and role as a surface onto which the frustrations or artistic ambitions of individuals could be projected.

No suspects were publicly identified .

4. Explosive Attack (September 2003): One of the most destructive attacks occurred when the statue was blasted off its stone base and toppled into the harbor using explosives.

No group or individual claimed responsibility.

The nature of the act suggested a deliberate effort to draw international attention, and once again the statue was restored.

The event generated significant media coverage, further building its mythology as a site of perpetual contestation .

Red Paint and Political Graffiti (Multiple Incidents): The statue has repeatedly been splattered with paint or marked with slogans.

In 2017, it was doused in red paint as part of an animal rights protest against Denmark’s involvement in whale hunting.

The statement was unambiguously communicated by animal rights activists, who left a message protesting against the slaughter of whales in the Faroe Islands.

In 2020, amid global protests following the killing of George Floyd, the phrase “racist fish” was painted on the base.

This act did not correlate to any explicit theme within Andersen’s story, but its ambiguity ignited debate and media focus on the connections between public monuments, race, and symbolism .

Russian Flag Paint (March 2023): The rock beneath the statue was painted in the colors of the Russian flag, a gesture interpreted as a sign of support for Russia during the ongoing Ukraine conflict.

The incident led to a police investigation and attracted international media attention.

The act was widely seen as a tool of contemporary political statement, using the statue’s visibility to amplify a controversial message .

Patterns, Motives, and Speculation:

Over nearly 110 years, incidents targeting the Little Mermaid have become both ritualistic and unpredictable—ranging from pranks and artistic stunts to explicit political protests and statements.

Most of the perpetrators remain unknown, although some incidents have been claimed by activists or explained after arrests.

Motivations span from the desire to provoke dialogue about the environment, identity, or international politics, to artistic or anarchic impulses aimed at undermining established cultural icons .

Occasionally, acts have appeared inspired by broader waves of countercultural dissent across Europe or as local reactions to international events.

The repeated targeting of the statue thus reflects a wider European and Danish tradition: monuments as sites for contested meaning, creative subversion, and ongoing negotiation between mainstream identity and countercultural energies .

Legal and Cultural Response:

In most cases, the Danish authorities have responded by repairing and restoring the statue, emphasizing its importance as a source of collective memory and tourism.

Legal action has rarely led to high-profile convictions, largely due to the anonymity of most offenders .

However, the vandalism invariably triggers media coverage and public debate, reinforcing the statue’s place at the heart of discussions about art, societal values, and the purpose of public space .

Folklore, Rumors, and Persistent Myths:

As a result of these attacks, urban legends and myths have flourished around the Little Mermaid.

Some rumors suggest anarchist artists or radical student groups as possible culprits for the most severe incidents, though concrete evidence remains scant.

The notion that the statue is “cursed” to attract vandals has also circulated among Copenhageners and travelers alike, with each new attack feeding into this local mythology .

Conclusion:

For visitors seeking to understand Copenhagen’s blend of culture and counterculture, the story of the Little Mermaid statue is emblematic.

Each act of vandalism becomes not just a crime but a commentary, revealing in physical form the ongoing conversation between tradition and rebellion in the Danish capital.

Whether interpreted as a sign of unresolved societal tensions, a statement of artistic freedom, or simply as notoriety-seeking mischief, these incidents add an intriguing and sometimes provocative dimension to the story of one of Europe’s most recognizable sculptures.

The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, created by artist Edvard Eriksen in 1913, has become one of Denmark’s most iconic attractions, symbolizing both national heritage and the intersection of popular culture with public space.

Title:

Content: Happy Chinese New Year with Rabbit, Zombie and Mermaid
Journalist Li Qiwei / reporting from Taipei
The National Taiwan Museum of Science and Education (NTUST) launched a special Spring Festival event, “Rabbit Day ”, from January 22 to 29. Every day, there are limited exhibition theme activities. You can get a cool card, experience the fun of bag printing in the Year of the Rabbit, and make a rabbit lantern." Andersen Fairy Tales - The Little Mermaid Special Exhibition "to celebrate the New Year with the public.
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According to the Science and Education Museum, on the first day of the "Year of the Rabbit" and on the eighth day, different game levels were designed. The whole family team completed the exhibition in a limited time, and the robot arm with red envelopes, pots, rolling iron rings, and stepping on stilts. Paper lanterns.
In addition to large-scale games, there are also science shows, including a science demonstration on the second day of the first year, a science drama on the sixth year, a science drama on the sixth year, and a combination of scientific experiments.
In addition, the HKUST also launched a series of workshops on the Chinese zodiac “Rabbit ” during the annual festival, including“ Fantasy Mirror Rabbit ” on the third day, “Rabbit Fern Ecological Experience Class on the fourth day,“ Rabbit in a hurry ” on the fifth day, “Rabbit Lantern DIY ” on the seventh day,“ Rabbit Be a Maker ” and “Rabbit Incense Tower Making Experience ” on the seventh day. From optical reflections, to traditional incense making, to the Rabbit Rotary Trojan Music Box and Rabbit Lantern.
The Museum of Science and Education said that during the Spring Festival, the Museum often holds exhibitions and special exhibitions, and the "Zombie" exhibition on the west side of the 7th floor of the Museum of Science and Education is on display until February 28, weekdays from 10: 00 to 17: 00, weekends, national holidays, winter holidays from 10: 00 to 18: 00, January 21, February 13, February 20.
There are nine officials, eight zombies, and the popularity of Ming and Qing novels has created a unique culture of Zhi-strange.
"Zombie" exhibition not only according to Yuan Mei 's "eight zombies" (purple zombie, white zombie, green zombie, fur zombie, flying zombie, submerged zombie, walking zombie) tailored a number of simulated zombies. The secret strategy of Fu Zombie and a number of "Zombie Control" facsimile, including many exhibits with a history of 100 years, can be regarded as a Taoist holy relic that has been passed down for many years.
"Zombie" shows the audience to learn more about the development of Taiwan's ghost culture and its unique charm; and in the interactive experience area, provides ink pens and scrolls for the audience to draw special symbols to commemorate.
In addition, the "Andersen Fairy Tales - The Little Mermaid" exhibition will be held until March 5, from 10: 00 to 17: 00 on weekdays, from 10: 00 to 18: 00 on weekends, national holidays and winter holidays, and will be closed on January 21, February 13 and February 20.
Inspired by fairy tales, the exhibition is based on the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen. The international contemporary artist created the mermaid statue in the Science and Education Museum. For the first time, the story illustrations are displayed.
7 highlights include the sculptor ’ s “Mermaid Falls ”; the“ Fossil Museum ” featuring the Little Mermaid 1: 1 pseudo-skull, marine fossils, and dugong pseudo-skeletons; the “Ocean Atlas ” featuring dozens of iconic marine life and rare species inhabiting Taiwan waters; and the“ Whale Carnival ” featuring more than 10 simulated works by famous illustrators. The essence of the fairy tale of Tseng Sheng ’ s “Daughter of the Sea ”;“ Deep Sea Wonders ” can ride Dr. Turtle ’ s boat through a tunnel more than 70 meters long; and “Crossing without obstacles ” and“ Dancing with the Mermaid ”, which test the audience ’ s eye and hand coordination and speed of response.
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However, its fame has made it a recurrent target for various acts of intentionally inflicted damage, many of which serve as direct commentaries on cultural, political, or social issues.

Title:

Content: Danish little mermaid like cornerstone painted Russian flag tricolor
A statue of the Little Mermaid, one of the most iconic tourist attractions in the Danish capital Copenhagen, was deliberately vandalized last night, and the cornerstone below the statue was painted with the white, blue and red colors of the Russian flag.
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The Little Mermaid comes from the famous fairy tale of Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen, where the stone beneath the bronze statue is painted in three colors of the Russian flag.
Copenhagen police told Agence France-Presse that since they arrived this morning, "a case of vandalism has been filed" and "local investigations have been launched to trace traces".
It is clear that this means supporting Moscow ’ s position in the Ukraine war.
Some tourists, puzzled by this, took pictures of the damaged statue this morning.
The 175-kilogram Little Mermaid is a work by sculptor Edvard Eriksen, inspired by the Danish poet and writer Hans Christian Andersen ’ s 1837 fairy tale of the same name.
The statue, which sits next to a relatively secluded waterfront walkway, has been vandalized several times over the years, including two burglaries of its head in 1964 and 1998, and a severed arm in 1984. In 2003, the statue was blown loose with explosives and fell into the bay.
It has also been graffitied and painted several times, most recently in 2020 with the words “racist fish. ”

Shortly after its installation, the statue became ingrained in Danish culture as a symbol not only of Hans Christian Andersen’s beloved fairy tale but also of the city’s maritime legacy and its openness to visitors.

Title:

Content: Russian Flag Painted on Copenhagen's Most Famous Landmark

It's the latest in a long line of attacks on Little Mermaid statue
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 2, 2023 10:15 AM CST

The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, one of Denmark's most famous landmarks, has been vandalized yet again, this time with the Russian flag. Authorities said Thursday that the white, blue, and red stripes of the Russian flag were painted on the stone the statue sits on, Reuters reports. Police said the vandalism was discovered early Thursday. "We are of course launching an investigation to find out who did it and when and how it happened," a police spokesman said, per Jyllands-Posten.

Denmark, like other European nations, has strongly criticized Russia's war against Ukraine. The small statue, a tribute to the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, sits off a waterfront promenade in the Danish capital. It has been vandalized many times since it was installed 110 years ago, AFP reports. It has been decapitated twice and was knocked off its base with explosives in 2003. In 2017, it was doused in red paint in a protest against whale hunting. In 2020, during worldwide protests after the death of George Floyd, the words "racist fish" were painted on the base, though Andersen scholars said they weren't aware of any racist elements in the fairy tale. (Read more The Little Mermaid stories.)

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Over time, however, the statue developed a parallel reputation as a blank canvas for protest, rebellion, and artistic statement—positioning itself at the intersection of mainstream cultural identity and countercultural critique.

Title:

Content: FISHKINET
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Sculpture Mermaid in Kandalaksha compared with Voronezh Alyonka
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Vandalism incidents have repeatedly brought it to the forefront of headlines and public discussion, stoking both condemnation and curiosity .

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Content: Danish police investigate who “spoiled ” the famous monument to the Little Mermaid with the colors of the Russian flag
03.03.2023, 7: 15, Misc
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On the pedestal of the famous statue of the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen, a Russian tricolor appeared, says The Guardian.
The Danish police have launched an investigation into such an “act of vandalism ”, which is perceived as a sign of support in the Ukrainian conflict.
AP
In Copenhagen, unknown people painted the foundation of the statue of the Mermaid in Copenhagen in the colors of the Russian flag, writes The Guardian.
According to the publication, the tricolor appeared on Thursday night on the stone, which serves as a pedestal for the famous Danish monument.
The police in Copenhagen said that law enforcement officers visited the crime scene and registered an “act of vandalism ”.
The police began an investigation and are trying to find “evidence ”.
The actions of unknown persons are perceived as a sign of support for the Kremlin in the Ukrainian conflict.
The article notes that the statue of the Little Mermaid weighing 175 kg was created by sculptor Edward Eriksen, who was inspired by the main character of the fairy tale of the same name by Hans Christian Andersen.
The monument suffered from vandals many times: in 1964 her head was stolen, in 1984 her hand was cut off, in 1998 her head was stolen again, but later returned, and in 2003 the statue was blown up.
In addition, the Little Mermaid has been painted or signed many times.
The last time it happened in 2020, when it appeared the mysterious inscription “Racist fish ”, writes The Guardian.
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Chronicle of Major Acts of Intentional Damage:

1.

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Content: In Copenhagen, the statue of the Little Mermaid painted in the colors of the Russian flag - RIA Novosti, 02.03.2023
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In Copenhagen, the statue of the Little Mermaid painted in the colors of the Russian flag
Reuters: In Copenhagen, the base of the statue of the Little Mermaid painted in the colors of the Russian tricolor
© AFP 2023 / Ritzau Scanpix / Ida Marie OdgaardThe Little Mermaid Statue in Copenhagen with a base painted in the colors of the Russian flag
Statue of the Mermaid in Copenhagen with a painted in the colors of the Russian flag base
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ZURICH, March 2 — RIA Novosti.
The base of the statue of the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen, created on the basis of the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, was painted in the colors of the Russian tricolor, Reuters reported.
The Russian flag was found painted on the basis of a statue of the Little Mermaid in Denmark on Thursday, in what police say is a “case of vandalism ” at Copenhagen ’ s most famous landmark and a popular tourist destination.
As specified, the front part of the stone on which the monument is erected is painted.
At the same time, the police still do not know “who is behind this incident. ”
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First Decapitation (April 1964): The most infamous act of vandalism occurred on April 24, 1964, when unknown assailants sawed off the statue’s head and stole it completely.

Despite investigations, the head was never recovered and a new one was cast and attached.

This incident shocked the public, prompting debates about security and the meaning behind such a forceful act.

Title:

Content: Copenhagen residents were outraged by the behavior of American tourists
1: 09 AM
The unusual behavior of an American tourist in Copenhagen caused a storm of indignation among other travelers who witnessed this incident.
The girl came to the statue of the Little Mermaid and, not paying attention to the prohibition to touch the monument, began to touch and even kiss her.
The witness of this incident was a tourist named Dylan Trinkler, who captured everything on his phone.
The video shows how the girl climbed the pedestal of the monument, pressed her face against it and began to kiss the statue.
At the same time, clear warning signs about the prohibition of such actions were installed around the sculpture.
Many people began to condemn the violator, shouted at her to leave.
It should be noted that the statue of the Little Mermaid was installed in 1913 and is made of bronze and granite.
It is part of Danish cultural heritage and is inspired by Hans Christian Andersen ’ s famous fairy tale about a mermaid who gave up her underwater world for the love of a prince on land.
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Monument to the fairy tale "Mermaid" in Denmark (DeafSPB)
Author Oleg Loginov
Oleg Loginov — HSE student, Pravda.Ru freelance correspondent

While the perpetrator was never formally identified, it is believed to have been an act of countercultural protest, potentially influenced by contemporary art movements and the increasing wave of rebellion against established cultural icons in the 1960s .

Severed Arm (July 1984): The statue lost its right arm in another overnight act of vandalism.

The arm was later returned by the perpetrators, four young men who reportedly did so as a prank.

Title:

Content: Unknown people draw Russian flag on a statue of a mermaid in Copenhagen
COPENHAGEN (AFP) - The iconic Little Mermaid statue in the Danish capital Copenhagen was vandalized on Wednesday night as unidentified people painted the Russian flag on its base.
Announcement
An AFP correspondent reported that the Russian flag was painted under unknown circumstances on the stone above which a statue of the Little Mermaid, inspired by the heroine of one of the stories of the writer Hans Christian Andersen, was installed.
Danish police said they were launching an investigation into the incident, without giving any indication of the source of the move, which shows clear support for Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
A Copenhagen police spokesman told AFP: "We are investigating the area in order to find any evidence."
A small number of tourists in the area took pictures of the statue in the port of Copenhagen, which was vandalized on Thursday morning.
The Little Mermaid statue on a largely unfrequented promenade has been targeted several times since it was installed in 1913.
In 1964, the head of the nymph was stolen for the first time without being recovered.
In 1998, a group of vandals cut off the head of the statue again, but it was later restored.
This monument was exposed to the explosion in 2003.
The statue, created by Danish sculptor Edvard Eriksen, has also been targeted several times with graffiti or graffiti, most recently in 2020 with the inscription “racist fish ”.

The police were able to retrieve and reattach the arm soon afterward.

Title:

Content: "Love Media Chien Hsiu-chih Column" The Yellow Water (1895-1930) "manna water" has finally returned to her mother's house.
Like lost contact for many years, the humiliated daughter, all over the mud returned to her mother's house, but she still raised her head and raised her chest, not shed half a drop of tears, but saw her mother's eyes, her heart was like a knife.
After 185 days of careful, careful and gentle repair process, they took pains to take scientific comparisons and international experts streaming, but still couldn ’ t remove the old ink stain, as if the yellow water had been an art for a lifetime, and had borne the world ’ s troubles and sufferings.
And those old ink stains are also branded with some of the selfish bias of human nature, and at the same time highlight the serious lack of aesthetic education in Taiwan in the early years.
"Mannen Water" is a rare surviving marble work of loess water, and it is also an epic creation, which plays an important role in the history of Taiwanese art.
Created between 1919 and 1920, Mannu was selected for the 3rd Japan Imperial Exhibition (Imperial Art Exhibition), and even the Japanese royal family was interested in the work. It was exhibited in the Taiwan Pavilion of the Tokyo Peace Memorial Expo.
After Huang Tu-shui's death in 1930, his family shipped 500 kilograms of "Mannoshui" to Taiwan in 1931, together with other works, to be collected by the Taiwan Education Association.
After the end of the Japanese era, the Provisional Provincial Council of Taiwan Province moved to Taichung, but in 1958, "Mannen" moved south, embarked on a wandering fate. Although placed by the surgeon Chang Hung-biao family, in 1974, under the treacherous social atmosphere, Chang family sealed "Mannen" in a family-run factory, nearly half a century, with dark traces of ink and dark boxes. In.
The North Master gave birth to a talented young man and returned to his mother's home.
2021 is the 100th anniversary of the selection of Huang Tu Shui “Mannu Water ” in the emperor ’ s exhibition, and it seems that there is a force driving it.
At the end of April this year, when the time came, the "right people, the right situation" finally appeared.
After repeated communication and contacts, the descendants of the Chang family agreed to donate "unconditionally" to the state, so that "manna" finally saw the light of day.
On May 11 this year, "Mannen Water" arrived at the Beishi Museum of Art with care and officially returned to her mother's home.
The Kitaishi Museum of Art and Tokyo University of Fine Arts alumnus Junichi Mori formed a restoration team to carry out professional restoration.
In September this year, under the witness of President Tsai Ing-wen, Zhang Shiwen and Minister of Culture Li Yongde officially signed a contract to deliver the national collection.
In 1921, he was selected for the third emperor exhibition in Japan, becoming a Taiwanese artist once again after he was selected for the second emperor exhibition in 1920.
When the good news came out, the teachers and friends of Huang Tushui in Tokyo and Taipei were proud.
The following year, "Mannoshui" was also invited to be exhibited in the Taiwan Pavilion of the Peace Memorial Expo in Tokyo, Japan, and wrote an unprecedented record, proving that the Japanese royal family and the academic community at that time gave "Mannoshui" a high evaluation and affirmation.
Huang Tun-shui, a native of Taipei's Mengjia, first entered the Mengjia Public School, which was used as a classroom in the Mengjia Temple for a year, and then moved back to Tataocheng Public School (now Taiping Elementary School), where he entered the Mandarin School of the Governor-General's Office.
MORI CHUN-YI LIN MANLI DONG UNIVERSITY FIND EXPERTS FOR EXPERIENCE
November 11 marks the museum ’ s first public appearance after a professional restoration of Mannen.
Lin Man-li, chairman of the National Arts Council, and Junichi Mori, a Japanese expert in restoration, co-chaired a press conference to explain the restoration of the half-century old manna, and the changes in the face after the restoration.
To the north, the north is his mother ’ s home.
And in the school for more than 30 years, is also the North Division Museum of the birth of the director, Lin Manli, feeling particularly deep, when seeing the completion of 100 years of the creation of "manna", in the dust for more than half a century, back to the North Division Museum of Art, like the wandering daughter home, the mood of the excitement, ineffable.
However, the dust servant ’ s daughter returned to her mother ’ s house, and the appearance did not appear to be damaged, but the dust and ink stains, especially when they were maliciously splashed in their private parts, made people not bear to read.
The world's mothers are the same, see the tired daughter, so badly hurt, almost torn liver, heart like a knife.
So the museum and Japanese restoration expert Junichi Mori immediately organized a repair team, since May 11, this year, "Manna" entered the museum, it has been exactly 6 months, but after half a year (185 days) of professional repair, the impurities can be removed, so that the work looks very good, and the private parts of the work, malicious spilled ink, has completely penetrated into the marble crystal. The soul is strong, and the soul is strong, and it is like a dream, and it is not a dream.
Evil ink attack, as early as more than half a century ago, imagine that for more than 50 years, every day wrapped in evil ink long sleep, the feeling of humiliation, can not be described by pen ink.
But in the works, the young girl's slightly raised forehead, warm face, coupled with half open eyes, is still not humble and unkind, and holds up all the attacks and hardships, making people more reluctant, so that the world's mother shared a bitter tears.
Lin Man-li, who also studied in Japan and took ten years to obtain a doctorate from the University of Tokyo, hopes to do her utmost to save the work of Huang Tu-shui, a senior at Tokyo University (formerly known as the Tokyo School of Fine Arts).
In the eyes of Chairman Lin Man-li, the talented and diligent Huang Tu-shui is a rare artistic talent in the past. The time when “Mann-shui ” was selected for the Emperor ’ s Exhibition Award was exactly 100 years ago. It seems like a coincidence of fate, but it is a self-selection of Huang Tu-shui. It is more like the God who was jealous of talents and mistakenly grasping the wonders. After the wind and frost," Mannen Water "returned to the Museum of Fine Arts, like a neighbor who lost her daughter, and after a long search and waiting, returned to her mother's arms, making the Museum of Fine Arts feel warm and warm.
Because of the epidemic, he came to Taiwan last year to repair Huang Tu-shui's "Girl's Chest" and has remained in Taiwan.
Iron urchin ink snake scorpion behavior aesthetics bad taste naked goddess 63 years black box accompanied by long sleep with stain
Mori analyzed the composition of the ink, and he confirmed that the ink stain that was sprayed on "Manna" was "iron gall ink".
This ink, made from a mixture of vegetable tanning and iron salts, has been widely used by European artists since the 5th century.
Because the ink is acidic, written on paper, for a long time, there will be corrosion, "manna" has been spilled by iron liner ink for more than half a century, has been completely melted into the texture of the stone, whether it has a biochemical effect on the marble, it is not yet known, but in terms of repair experience, it is extremely rare.
At present, the private parts of the "manna" statue can be seen with the naked eye, and the inner parts of the thigh are still imprinted with pale blue ink.
In the past six months, the repair team has contacted Italian restorers and NTU's chemical laboratory to try to remove the ink through lasers, ultrasound, and various chemical agents, but it has not been able to completely remove it, because the ink has stayed in the statue more than one piece, and the stain has been inhaled and assimilated by the marble.
From the creation of "manna" so far, more than 100 years, so the repair team is trembling, all repair attempts must work safety as the first priority, look forward to one day, safe and effective decontamination tricks appear, can be dealt with again, but at this stage ink stains can only be diluted.
Lin says that it is a kind of historical imprint, a process that Taiwanese people should remember and reflect on.
Due to the removal of the ink stain, it is feared that it will cause irreversible second-degree damage, so the repair work can only be promoted by bulldozing.
In order to eliminate the stubborn evil ink, they used expert research to understand the source of what kind of black ink, calculate the time of spraying, and make a detailed analysis of everything based on historical development and scientific basis.
Mori, who was in charge of the restoration work, not only handled the bust of "The Girl", which caused a great deal of response last year, but also the restoration of "The Buffalo Herd" by Chungshan Hall, and also helped with the restoration and reproduction of "Teijiro Yamamoto" commissioned by the National Taiwan Museum of Art.
At yesterday's press conference, Mori Junichi said that as a sculptor, a restorer, and a student at Tokyo University of the Arts, his respect for Huang Tu Shui is growing day by day.
After World War I, Japan needs the soul of warriors, the land and water, the art of the East, and the beauty of the East.
Mori Junichi said that Japan in the First World War (1914-1918), due to military needs and other factors, the economy showed abnormal development, when the end of the First World War, Japan broke out the economic crisis of 1918, although the government and opposition efforts to make adjustments, so that the situation rebounded slightly the following year.
But in the spring of 1920, the Japanese economy fell into a new economic crisis, and the Japanese economy fell into a decade-long depression.
Mori explains that during periods of depression and social upheaval, Japanese society generally had a high expectation of "national strength, national strength, and wealth," and that even if it was a nude work, the male body, which favored the expression of power, female body creation, was extremely unpopular at the time.
However, Huang Tu-shui's "Mannoshui" has broken through the eyes of the public, and the naked woman with no visible face has been able to break through the social atmosphere and gain the favor of the judges, which shows that the work's power and connotation are solid, and it is only possible that it will rise to prominence.
As an alumnus of Tokyo University of the Arts, Mori felt the progress of Huang Tu Shui ’ s works in different periods, and admired Huang Tu Shui ’ s talent and hard learning spirit.
Mori Chun-yi said that the restoration process of "Mannu" two major challenges, one to remove the dust and dirt accumulated in the past 50 years, and the second to repair the ink-spilled statue's privacy.
Those accumulated dirt, not the general surface can be cleaned, but to remove a lot of organic matter that has been deep into the marble gap, quite troublesome, he even put the ink, dripping in the simulated hand model to observe the diffusion, to help "manna" find a chance of spring.
Mori Chun-yi ’ s “Buffalo Portrait ” and“ Girl ’ s Chest ” works after the restoration of Huangtuishui are very familiar with the style and characteristics of Huangtuishui in different eras.
Mori Chun-yi pointed out that the marble carving "Chestnut" is only a commercial building material grade stone, the internal impurities, not the sculptor's choice, than last year's "Chestnut Girl", lower grade, resulting in the current "Chestnut" protection of "Chestnut water", congenital shortage (such as stone) and later out-of-tune (ink into the crystal for too long), it is difficult to be physically removed. Repair work, multiplying the difficulty.
Sen Chun 's dream haunts senior students in Taiwan during the epidemic
It is understood that for more than half a year, the repair team has continuously tried various efforts for the removal of ink stains through the assistance of Italian repair experts and relevant professionals of the Department of Chemistry at National Taiwan University, but the results are limited.
Mori Junichi said that the repair team, even by injecting solvents in a vacuum, tried to penetrate the crystalline structure and gently remove the ink stains in this way, which is now much lighter than the original situation, but still can clearly see the ink traces.
As part of the cultural association ’ s 100th anniversary activities, the exhibition of related art works has been scheduled to start on December 18. During the exhibition, the works will be covered with ink in a reversible way first, and then continue to be processed.
"Huang Tushui must not have the heart to let everyone see the stains of naked women's private parts, whether Taiwan or Japan, such a viewing culture, is very close."
As a woman and mother, Lin Manli, chairman of the board, worked hard to rescue the yellow earth water.
Lin Man-li said with sadness that in 1915, Huang Tu-shui, who came from the cold gate, was recommended by Uchida Kakich, the governor of the government house, and Kumamoto Shigeyoshi, the principal of the Mandarin school, and other people. He studied wood carving with Takamura Koun (1852-1934) and Asakura Aragonite (1883-1964). He became the first Taiwanese student to study art in Japan. The painstaking.
In the performance of sculpture art, Huang Tushui's self-learning spirit is even more admirable.
In his early years in Taiwan, he carved a lot of wooden Buddha statues, to the Tokyo Art School, but also into the sculpture department, but the water does not set limits, he has a high self-ambition, learning pace.
In class, he used wood carving as a normal learning, and in the spare time, he taught himself stone carving.
Since the Western carving trend of that era, including Auguste Rodin (1840-1917), had spread in Japan, Huang Tishui had the opportunity to observe the information of stone carving art and observe the creative process of stone carvers.
Buddha statue, wood carving, Western stone carving, yellow earth water, self-taught art.
In the tight conditions, limited winding, can only choose the cheaper building grade stone, manna creation, about 1919, Huang Tu Shui is not only still a student in Japan, but also his mother Huang Shi Su the previous year.
The disease is contagious.
He returned to Taiwan to visit his mother, and soon organized a funeral for his mother. The funeral expenses, plus the travel expenses to and from Taiwan and Japan, were a heavy burden to the land and water.
After the return of the day, he created a sad creation, in the continuous experience of life and death, for example, parents and brothers died, the shadow of death, for him, like a shadow, he deeply understands the immortality of the world, and life is short, all the way, seems to be racing against time, so he strongly hopes to challenge the big works, use art to protect his classic. The fruits of artistic exploration leave even more for posterity the timelessness that he has walked through.
Yellow water can not afford pure white marble, to create "manna", the stone size required is large, the cost is higher, he can only choose with stripes of pale yellow stone, and is a building material grade, will be ready to create.
A penny, a penny, a second grade stone, not only in appearance, not good looking, the texture of this type of stone is also inconsistent, in the carving, more difficult to master than pure white marble, more time-consuming and laborious. The use of stone grain at the right time, skillfully translated according to the grain.
This is because he saw that the stone is like the inside of a shell, so he incorporated the concept of Nirvana in the Dharma into the shape of the shape, so that the naked woman ’ s hands hung on the shell shaped stone block, calm, calm and confident, the hair bun, extending from the neck to the back of the beautiful curve, half open his eyes, conveying the deep love. Meaning, the height of 153 cm marks the realistic beauty of the East, not the Western Venus.
The beauty of women, not only does not impose the high feminine charm of Western Venus, but also deliberately gives "Mannen Water" with a slightly heavy foot, to highlight the vulgar and friendly work of ordinary people, is the aesthetic of ordinary people, the left and right sides of the palm of the foot, so that the "Mannen Water" inside, showing more layers, vast and boundless, "second grade stone, creative. Not only does the work not hide its flaws, but it also shows a personal style and irreplaceable identity, and only when the slightly chubby Oriental woman in" Manna Water "has the chance to make Huang Tushui once again enter the imperial exhibition and win the crown.
However, the homeless wanderer, lonely and lonely, crying in the dark, he relies on creation, suffering from hunger and cold, healing pain, and more "manna" glory, ending sadness, with reverse thinking, transcending adversity, that kind of sadness, also in the "manna water", it is easy to read, like entering Mahler (Gustav Mahler 1860) 1911) in the world.
Death Overhead Solitary Watch Long Night Mahler Gavel, Funeral Song, Anti-Tragedy Yellow Water "Mannen" Welcome to Rebirth
Mahler ’ s life has been full of bad luck, death, and long years. Through music, he confided in his heart, and in the entangled atmosphere, he made a protest against the 51 years of his short life. In.
On the contrary, the yellow earth water, 35 years old due to blindness delayed medical treatment, caused peritonitis death, his fate is shorter, the rhythm of more hasty, but marble carving, time and effort, not fast, to the yellow earth stone in the age of 24 to 25 years old to create "manna", suffice to his vomiting heart and blood, really emperor, 26 years old let him win the laurel And...
With his precocious intellectual youth and bold and innovative contemporary vocabulary, he completely ignored the conservatism surrounding him, and chose the local girl who represented the oriental body, declaring his aesthetic views with the most frank and friendly naked body, and bringing out the Oriental height and the grand praise of human values.
It is worth mentioning that Huang Tu-shui was diligent and practical, and he used Western sculpture concepts and techniques to integrate the essence of Eastern aesthetics learned from the wood carving of Buddha statues in the early years, and devoted himself to the hard work of marble creation.
The naked face is far from the erotic hint of the wind, flowers and snow, and the pure posture of all things in heaven and earth, expressing Shen stable and introverted. That half-open eye is a window to visit the world, and it is not a Western artist at all. She is selfless and unlustful, passing on the great love of human beings, distributing soothing feelings, protecting all things in the universe, and celebrating eternity.
Huang Tushui's "Mannu Water", like the daughter of Taiwan, takes the cangs of half a century back to her mother's home, the poison of evil ink and the evil of human nature, making people speechless.
A total of 185 days of repair work has passed, and the bad ink is still hard to remove, but the good justice that the yellow earth water gave to the naked woman of "Mannen" still allows the work to expand its chest, not humble and not arrogant.
Taiwan's daughter brings Cangsang back to her mother's home, she doesn't feel inferior, and she turns back her enemies.
"Manna Water" is not only a pioneer in the history of Taiwanese art, even in the Japanese society of the 1920s, it is also a rare contemporary masterpiece. In every detail of the work, the soft beauty of the neck line under the bun, the delicate and sensitive back line, and the skin treatment that can be broken by blowing, are still attracting attention after 100 years. The Pen.
Today, 100 years after the creation of "Mannoshui", it can be reproduced in front of the eyes of the public. It is believed that it will inevitably bring a new and all-round impact to Taiwan society.
Huang Tu Shui "manna" in the end of the restoration, take a reversible treatment, temporarily cover the ink stains, so that the work presents a clean, clean new look, happy to meet the public.
This exhibition, which will be exhibited at the Beishi Art Museum from December 18 to April 21 next year, will then move to the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts to continue to share with the people of central and southern Taiwan, so that people can feel the proud achievements of Huang Shishui's creation of "Mannoshui" a hundred years ago, insight into human talent, and the vast selfless love.
Perhaps let the Yellow Water, which has been dead for 91 years, truly enter the earth for peace, let go of the sufferings, tribulations, troubles and distractions of the human world, and use the "half-opened eyes" of "Kandoo Water" to climb the "Niranpan" Buddhist landscape, and even sail into the realm of freedom in the clear sky!
The author is the president of Collections Magazine.
Photo Source: Official website of the North Museum of Art.
● For more articles, see the author ’ s Facebook page, published with permission.
● Column article, does not mean i-Media love media position.
# manna # loess # restoration # creation # Mori Chun

Although this incident lacked a clear political motive, it re-emphasized the vulnerability of the statue and reinforced its status as a magnet for attention-seeking vandalism .

Second Decapitation (January 1998):

In a grim echo of the earlier event, vandals once again sawed off the Little Mermaid’s head.

However, unlike in 1964, this time the head was discovered nearby and restored to the statue after forensic and restoration work.

The motive appeared to echo the original decapitation, reaffirming the statue’s vulnerability and role as a surface onto which the frustrations or artistic ambitions of individuals could be projected.

No suspects were publicly identified .

4. Explosive Attack (September 2003): One of the most destructive attacks occurred when the statue was blasted off its stone base and toppled into the harbor using explosives.

No group or individual claimed responsibility.

The nature of the act suggested a deliberate effort to draw international attention, and once again the statue was restored.

The event generated significant media coverage, further building its mythology as a site of perpetual contestation .

Red Paint and Political Graffiti (Multiple Incidents): The statue has repeatedly been splattered with paint or marked with slogans.

In 2017, it was doused in red paint as part of an animal rights protest against Denmark’s involvement in whale hunting.

The statement was unambiguously communicated by animal rights activists, who left a message protesting against the slaughter of whales in the Faroe Islands.

In 2020, amid global protests following the killing of George Floyd, the phrase “racist fish” was painted on the base.

This act did not correlate to any explicit theme within Andersen’s story, but its ambiguity ignited debate and media focus on the connections between public monuments, race, and symbolism .

Russian Flag Paint (March 2023): The rock beneath the statue was painted in the colors of the Russian flag, a gesture interpreted as a sign of support for Russia during the ongoing Ukraine conflict.

The incident led to a police investigation and attracted international media attention.

The act was widely seen as a tool of contemporary political statement, using the statue’s visibility to amplify a controversial message .

Patterns, Motives, and Speculation:

Over nearly 110 years, incidents targeting the Little Mermaid have become both ritualistic and unpredictable—ranging from pranks and artistic stunts to explicit political protests and statements.

Title:

Content: Go to contents
The concept of the princess.
Posted June.
01, 2023 07: 34
Updated June.
01, 2023 07: 34
한국어
Recently, there has been a fierce debate on Theater Street due to the emergence of black mermaids.
A beautiful white princess with red hair.
What impressed us was Disney ’ s reinterpretation of the original 1989 animated film.
Hans Christian Andersen wrote a fairy tale about a mermaid princess in 1837, and there is no specific race in the original.
Although the film Mermaid Princess is controversial due to the color of the protagonist ’ s skin, it became a topic about 10 years ago in Andersen ’ s native Denmark when the mermaid princess appeared as a man. The artist duo Elmgreen and Dragsett ’ s “He (Gold) ” (2012 • photo) is the protagonist.
Mikael Elmgren of Denmark and Ingar Dragset of Norway have been working together since 1995.
Constantly demonstrating their work challenging the idea of immobilization, He (Gold) reinterprets Copenhagen ’ s bronze statue of the mermaid princess as a male version.
Edward Erikson made the mermaid princess in 1913 like a world tourist attraction, but because it is an 80 cm tall bronze statue, many people commented that it was very disappointed after seeing it.
Elmgreen and Dragoset painted the mermaid figure in the same position as the mermaid princess with a large expansion to 2 meters in height, and then painted it with gorgeous gold.
Instead of fins have legs, it seems that the love with the prince has succeeded.
But it may be because of the loss of voice, the expression looks sad.
The naked man sitting on the rock with his legs together completely contradicted traditional masculinity.
The mermaid seemed to be in deep meditation, appeared very quiet, cowardly and fragile, and looked uncomfortable.
In traditional art, naked men show off their strong bodies and pose as heroes.
The statue of the mermaid princess, erected in the Italian port city of Monopoli, has also been embroiled in controversy recently.
This time, the princess's oversized body became a problem.
Times have changed.
People ’ s preferences have also changed.
But the idea of Disney ’ s skinny, beautiful white princess still seems hard to change.

Most of the perpetrators remain unknown, although some incidents have been claimed by activists or explained after arrests.

Motivations span from the desire to provoke dialogue about the environment, identity, or international politics, to artistic or anarchic impulses aimed at undermining established cultural icons .

Occasionally, acts have appeared inspired by broader waves of countercultural dissent across Europe or as local reactions to international events.

The repeated targeting of the statue thus reflects a wider European and Danish tradition: monuments as sites for contested meaning, creative subversion, and ongoing negotiation between mainstream identity and countercultural energies .

Legal and Cultural Response:

In most cases, the Danish authorities have responded by repairing and restoring the statue, emphasizing its importance as a source of collective memory and tourism.

Legal action has rarely led to high-profile convictions, largely due to the anonymity of most offenders .

However, the vandalism invariably triggers media coverage and public debate, reinforcing the statue’s place at the heart of discussions about art, societal values, and the purpose of public space .

Folklore, Rumors, and Persistent Myths:

As a result of these attacks, urban legends and myths have flourished around the Little Mermaid.

Some rumors suggest anarchist artists or radical student groups as possible culprits for the most severe incidents, though concrete evidence remains scant.

The notion that the statue is “cursed” to attract vandals has also circulated among Copenhageners and travelers alike, with each new attack feeding into this local mythology .

Conclusion:

Title:

Content: International
3 Environmental Protesters Attack Dutch Paintings, Sentenced to One Suspended (19: 26)
Three Belgian climate watchers demonstrated last Thursday (October 27) at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts at the Mauritz House in The Hague, Netherlands. One of them stuck his head to the 17th-century painting “The Girl with a Pearl Earring ”, one of them stuck his hand to the wall next to the oil painting and poured tomato soup to the former, and the rest filmed the process.
They were arrested for damaging public property.
A Dutch court on Wednesday (November 2) sentenced two of them to two months in prison, one of them suspended, while the person who poured tomato soup to his partner has not yet been sentenced. (CNN)
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For visitors seeking to understand Copenhagen’s blend of culture and counterculture, the story of the Little Mermaid statue is emblematic.

Each act of vandalism becomes not just a crime but a commentary, revealing in physical form the ongoing conversation between tradition and rebellion in the Danish capital.

Whether interpreted as a sign of unresolved societal tensions, a statement of artistic freedom, or simply as notoriety-seeking mischief, these incidents add an intriguing and sometimes provocative dimension to the story of one of Europe’s most recognizable sculptures.