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Denmark's national symbol, the Little Mermaid sculpture perched on a rock overlooking the Copenhagen port, was on Friday given a "genetically modified" little sister, thanks to a Danish sculptor.
"It's not a copy, but a very different-looking sister, but just as attractive and who will, I hope, attract many tourists," sculptor Bjoern Noerregaard told AFP.
The new Little Mermaid does not resemble her angelic older sister. The new, futuristic version looks like a science-fiction figure touched up by Picasso or Dali.
Just a short distance from her older sister, the new mermaid sits near the banks of the Langelinie Pier, welcoming cruise ships approaching the Danish capital.
According to her creator "there is room for two mermaids: the romantic Little Mermaid from the beginning of the last century, and the Little Mermaid of modern times, where genetic technology leads us inexorably to apocalypse".
Unlike her older sister, the new sculpture is out of reach of medling pedestrians.
In the past 40 years, the original has been decapitated twice, has had a bra and knickers painted on her, been entirely covered in paint on more than one occasion, and has had her right arm cut off.
The new work was inaugurated by Prince Henrik and was part of an exhibition of seven sculptures commissioned for the Danish contribution to the Hannover universal exhibition in 2000.
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AFP 151829 GMT 09 06
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