The City of Tarpon Springs in Florida has approved the installation of a 6' bronze mermaid statue sculpted by internationally acclaimed French sculptor Amaryllis.
The mermaid sculpture is part of the AmaryllisArt for Charity project, which aims to install mermaid statues around the world in beautiful locations near the water. 16 mermaid statues have been installed already - in Portugal, France, England, South Korea, Thailand, Mexico, Austria, Germany, Switzerland and the United States.
The mermaid statues are for sale, with at least one third of the proceeds going to a local charity in the communities in which they are placed.
The idea of the mermaid sculpture was brought to the Tarpon Springs Public Art Committee by Philip Jepsen, the founder of Mermaids Of Earth, due to the beauty of the city and its Gulf and Bayou waters, the city's strong Greek heritage and the mythical ties between mermaids and Greek mythology, as well as the city's manatee and their connection to mermaids in popular culture.
With strong support and enthusiasm from the Public Art Committee a proposal was made to the Tarpon Springs Board of Commissioners, and was officially and unanimously approved by the Board of Commissioners on December 17th.
Through an agreement with Koh-I-Noor (the German company sponsoring the Amaryllis Art for Charity program), Tarpon Springs will receive the bronze mermaid sculpture in early 2014.
The statue will be placed in Craig Park close to the meeting point of the waters of Whitcomb Bayou and Spring Bayou, where she can be part of community gatherings and festivals while remaining close to the bayous and manatee.
Amaryllis has said about the statue: "She left her underwater world to connect with mankind and alert us that we are damaging her environment. She wants to explain that water is the cradle of life, the ultimate necessity to assure humanity's own existence. As she arrives on more and more shorelines, it is our belief that she will gain a louder voice and will help make the point that we must respect her home."
About Mermaids of Earth
Mermaids Of Earth provides information on and promotes mermaid art, including especially public art mermaid statues around the world. The MermaidsOfEarth.com website is the world's premier website on mermaid sculptures.
