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Replacement for Little Mermaid
(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-05-07 09:26

Renowned Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has been chosen by the Danish government to design a replacement for the iconic Little Mermaid in Copenhagen Harbor when it goes on display at the Shanghai World Expo next year.

Ai will create a video installation where the famed statue currently sits during its six-month stay in Shanghai as part of the Danish pavilion. The Ministry of Economic and Business Affairs says the new work will reflect the differences between Chinese and Danish cultures.

Born in Beijing in 1957, Ai served as a consultant in the design of the Olympic National Stadium in Beijing. Copenhagen's iconic Little Mermaid, based on Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale, is scheduled to arrive in China next April. Copenhagen's city council voted in March to allow it to leave its perch in the Copenhagen harbor for its brief visit to China.