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Girl in Wetsuit : The Origins

 

The famous Girl in Wetsuit bronze sculpture dates from 1972 and was created by Elek Imredy. Located in the water on the northside of Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC, it's unveiling has created quite the controversy regarding its origins. While it has been debated that it is a copy of The Little Mermaid bronze statue located in Copenhagen, Denmark, Imredy declared his piece had absolutely nothing to do with it.

In fact, according to the artist, his Girl in Wetsuit was meant to represent Vancouverites interest for watersports, specifically scuba diving. The model for his statue was a friend of his, Debra Harrington. The mask on her forehead and flippers on her feet are unique to the statue and distingues her from The Little Mermaid.

Despite the copyrights issues, the Girl in Wetsuit has become an icon of Stanley Park and Vancouver. Over the years, people have interacted with her, whether it was by taking pictures with her or decorating her with clothes, such a Canucks jersey, the local national hockey league team. Let's note that similar pranks have been pulled on The Little Mermaid, which has also be victim to more severe vandalism.

All in all, it is safe to say that the Girl in Wetsuit is a well known landmark of the Stanley Park and part of Vancouver history. The sculpture's resemblance to The Little Mermaid may have been denied by its creator, but it will remain part of its origin story. If you're ever in the area, stop by and take your own picture of the Girl in Wetsuit!