This pop art version was made from this original image: Merlion 2012 - Floating Camera

The lion head and fish body of the creature recalls the story of the legendary Sang Nila Utama, who saw a lion while hunting on an island, en route to Malacca. The island eventually became the sea port of Temasek, a precursor to Singapore.

The Merlion statue measures 8.6 metres high and weighs 70 tonnes. It was built by the late Singapore craftsman, Mr Lim Nang Seng.