Social media users have commented on the controversy surrounding a statue of a voluptuous, mermaid in southern Italy. Most critics object to the fact that the statue has both a human butt and the tail of a mermaid.
In a press release, Adolfo Marciano said that the Mermaid’s controversy is welcomed, so long as the debate is not about issues such as artistic freedom or an out-of-date way of viewing the female body.
According to the Monopoli Times which broke the story, the school made the statue to honor Rita Levi-Montalcini. She was a Nobel laureate and a deceased Italian senator.
Tiziana Schiavarelli is an actress who said local residents are right to be “somewhat perplexed” by the statue.
It looks like a Mermaid, with two silicone bras, and a large a** never seen on a Mermaid before. Schiavarelli told The Guardian that she did not know of any mermaids.
Whoopi Goldberg commented on a segment of “The View” saying, “She got a booty,” and mocking people for making a big fuss about something “not real.”
Goldberg stated that “I don’t think kids will be thinking, ‘Ooh, she’s sexy'”, before the hosts got into an argument over how a mermaid could have a backside as well as a fishtail.
A second host was surprised that the controversy occurred in Italy because “there is so much naked art everywhere.”
'CURVY' MERMAID STATUE DIVIDES INTERNET: Local art students in Italy created a mermaid statue as an homage to curvy women but the statue is getting blasted for being overly sexual — #TheView co-hosts discuss. https://t.co/cVclFZQU98 pic.twitter.com/b1cCeFe5tt
— The View (@TheView) May 2, 2023
Social media users were captivated by a picture of the statue, with many focusing on how the controversy was centered around a fictional creature.
A social media user posted a screenshot from The Guardian’s article, claiming that the statue was a “disgrace,” because “mermaids do not have human butts and the tail extends up to their hips.”
“Right” was the mocking comment of another user. Yes, of course! “Mermaids exist and we know exactly how they look.”
This statue sets unrealistic beauty standards for all mermaids! Another user wrote.
The statue is located near a newly built children’s playground, equipped with a slide, a swing, and a jungle gym.
Residents of the area, as well as the greater Italian population, have debated whether or not the curvy statue of a mermaid is a suitable art display due to its proximity to the park in the square.
In 2016, a busty statue of a mermaid in Cape Cod also raised complaints.
