'Havsprinsen' ('The Sea Prince')

By the shore in Malmö, Sweden, Havsprinsen (The Sea Prince) sits on a rock, gazing across the Öresund Strait. The crowned bronze figure, with a dorsal fin and flipper-like feet, faces Copenhagen, searching for Denmark’s famous Little Mermaid.

Local artist Anders Skog created Havsprinsen, which was unveiled in 2023 as a symbolic counterpart to the Danish statue. While the Öresund Bridge physically connects Malmö and Copenhagen, Havsprinsen represents an emotional and cultural link between the cities.

Malmö’s city council declined to fund the piece or allow its placement on city land, citing an already high number of male monuments by male artists. Instead, private sponsors and crowdfunding secured a spot for it at a local marina.

Originally, Havsprinsen had visible male genitalia, but public feedback led to a revision. Before the unveiling, this feature was removed and replaced with seaweed to shift the focus away from the statue’s gender.

In Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid, the story that inspired the Copenhagen landmark, the mermaid never wins the prince’s love. Perhaps this time, in Malmö, things will turn out differently.