VN artist enters Luxembourg mermaid sculpture finale

A work by local artist Mai Thu Van has beaten 30 others to enter the finale of the Melusina sculpture competition launched by the City of Luxembourg to celebrate its 1050th birthday.

Van’s work is also available to public voting on  http://www.votemelusina.lu until Feb 23 before the final result is pronounced on Feb 25.

Participating sculptures all represent Melusina, the legendary wife of Count Siegfried, the founder of Luxembourg.

Melusina, a popular figure in European legends and folklore, is a feminine spirit of fresh waters in sacred springs and rivers.

She is usually depicted as a woman who is a serpent or fish from the waist down and resembles a mermaid. She can also be illustrated with wings, two tails or both.

In her works, Van depicted Melusina metaphorically with thin metal sheets cut in curves which accentuate her beauty and resemble white-crested waves. The sphere beneath the figure is symbolic of the full moon and  pearls, which are traditionally believed to be formed from Melusina’s tears.

The winning work on Melusina will be made into a real statue, which will be erected on the shores of the Alzette in Luxembourg-Grund, one of the country’s major tourist attractions.