Talking Statues Explained
Talking Statues is a project that was created in 2013 by documentary filmmaker David Peter Fox,[1] who is based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Inspired by the book, Sculptures in Copenhagen by Jens Peters Munk, Fox went on to provide a history and backstory for the figures represented by the statues. The project consists of prerecorded voice-overs that are matched to various statues found in public areas using QR codes.[2] The first talking statue was the statue of Hans Christian Andersen in the King's Garden in Copenhagen and, later, talking statues were created for public areas in cities such as Helsinki, New York, London, San Diego, Chicago, Vilnius, Parma, Dublin, Berlin, and Manchester.The City of Copenhagen funded the initial project, and the monologues were written by film director Carsten Rudolf in collaboration with David Peter Fox. Actor Jens Jacob Tychsen spoke the monologues.
List of statues
| Image | Statue | Location | Author | Actor(s) |
|---|
| Harriet Tubman | Christopher Park | Eric Marcus | Harrison Ghee, Claybourne Elder, Rosa Gilmore, Conrad Ricamora, and Tony nominee Jenn Colella |
| Robert Burns | Central Park | Wendy MacLeod | Andrew Barret |
| Harriet Tubman | Harlem | Terry McMillan | Patti Richards |
| William Shakespeare | Central Park | Marc Acito | Michael Perrie Jr |
| Lincoln | New-York Historical Society | | Pete Simpson |
| Frederick Douglass | New York-Historical Society | Terry McMillan | Robert Lacy Jr |
| George Washington | Federal Hall | Wendy MacLeod | Bart Shatto |
| Ludwig van Beethoven | Central Park | Wendy MacLeod | Bruce Kramer |
| George Washington | Brooklyn | Wendy MacLeod | Bart Shatto |
| Hans Christian Andersen | Central Park | Kim Fupz Aakeson | Mads Mikkelsen |
| John Ericsson | Battery Park | Marc Acito | David Dencik |
| Gertrude Stein | Bryant Park | Marc Acito | Stacey Lightman |
| Antonín Dvořák | Stuyvesant Square Park | Marc Acito | Jan Triska |
| Giovanni da Verrazzano | Battery Park | Joe Giordano | Roberto Ragone |
| Abraham Lincoln | Union Square | | Pete Simpson |
| Gandhi | Union Square | Thrity Umrigar | |
| Peter Stuyvesant | Stuyvesant Square | Christine Otten | Michael Wouters |
| George Washington | Union Square | Wendy MacLeod | Bart Shatto |
| Confucius | Confucius Plaza | Jean Kwok | Geoff Lee |
| Balto | Central Park | Wendy MacLeod | Jakob Oftebro | |
| Image | Statue | Location | Author | Actor(s) |
|---|
| James Joyce | Earl Street North | Roddy Doyle | Gabriel Byrne |
| James Connolly | Beresford Place | Brendan O'Carroll | Brendan O'Carroll |
| James Larkin | O'Connell Street | Enda Walsh | Stephen Rea |
| O'Connell Monument | O'Connell Street | Paula Meehan | Ruth Negga |
| Wolfe Tone | St Stephen's Green | Patrick McCabe | Brendan Gleeson |
| Oscar Wilde | Merrion Square North | John Banville | Andrew Scott |
| Meeting Place | Liffey Street Lower | Rachel Kilfeather | Brenda Fricker |
| George Bernard Shaw | Merrion Square West | Arthur Mathews | Stephen Brennan |
| Molly Malone | Suffolk Street | Michaela Mcmahon | Maria Doyle Kennedy |
| George Salmon | Trinity College Dublin, College Green | Joe Duffy | Joe Duffy | |
| Image | Statue | Location | Author | Actor(s) |
|---|
| Saint Denis statue | Paris | David Peter Fox | Gabriel Byrne |
| Le Passe-Muraille | Paris | David Peter Fox | Brendan O'Carroll |
| Statua di Giulio Cesare | Paris | David Peter Fox | Stephen Rea |
| Ecstasy of Saint Teresa | Paris | David Peter Fox | Ruth Negga |
| Statue du Général Charles de Gaulle | Paris | David Peter Fox | Brendan Gleeson |
| Statue of Georges Washington | Paris | David Peter Fox | Andrew Scott |
| Flamme de la Liberté | Paris | David Peter Fox | Brendan Gleeson |
| Augustus of Prima Porta | Paris | David Peter Fox | Brendan Gleeson |
| Statue de Jeanne d'Arc | Paris | David Peter Fox | Andrew Scott |
| Obélisque de Louxor | Paris | David Peter Fox | Andrew Scott |
| Buste de Dalida | Paris | David Peter Fox | Andrew Scott | |
| Image | Statue | Location | Author | Actor(s) |
|---|
| kathe-kollwitz | Berlin | David Peter Fox | Gabriel Byrne |
| Marx-Engels | Berlin | David Peter Fox | Brendan O'Carroll |
| Moltke-Denkmal | Berlin | David Peter Fox | Stephen Rea |
| Luther-Denkmal | Berlin | David Peter Fox | Ruth Negga |
| Heinrich Zille | Berlin | David Peter Fox | Brendan Gleeson |
| Der Rufer | Berlin | David Peter Fox | Andrew Scott |
| Lise Meitner Denkmal | Berlin | David Peter Fox | Brendan Gleeson |
| Bertolf Brecht | Berlin | David Peter Fox | Brendan Gleeson |
| Hauptmann von Köpenick | Berlin | David Peter Fox | Andrew Scott |
| The Lion Fighter | Berlin | David Peter Fox | Andrew Scott | |
| Image | Statue | Location | Author | Actor(s) |
|---|
| Statue “Amsterdams Lieverdje” | Amsterdam | Roddy Doyle | Gabriel Byrne |
| Borstplaat | Amsterdam | Brendan O'Carroll | Brendan O'Carroll |
| Statue “Belle” | Amsterdam | Enda Walsh | Stephen Rea |
| Boomzagertje | Amsterdam | Paula Meehan | Ruth Negga |
| Statue Vrouw met Stola | Amsterdam | Patrick McCabe | Brendan Gleeson |
| Rembrandt Monument | Amsterdam | John Banville | Andrew Scott |
| Multatuli statue | Amsterdam | Rachel Kilfeather | Brenda Fricker |
| Majoor Bosshardt Monument | Amsterdam | Arthur Mathews | Stephen Brennan |
| Multatuli statue | Amsterdam | Rachel Kilfeather | Brenda Fricker |
| Monument of Anne Frank | Amsterdam | Arthur Mathews | Stephen Brennan |
| Sculpture De Violist | Amsterdam | Michaela Mcmahon | Maria Doyle Kennedy |
| André Hazes statue | Amsterdam | Joe Duffy | Joe Duffy | |
| Image | Statue | Location | Author | Actor(s) |
|---|
| Hanc Christian Andersen | Chicago | Eric Marcus | Harrison Ghee,Claybourne Elder, Rosa Gilmore, Conrad Ricamora, and Tony nominee Jenn Colella |
| Robert Burns | Chicago | Wendy MacLeod | Andrew Barret |
| Bust of Jean Baptiste Point du Sable | Chicago | Terry McMillan | Patti Richards |
| The Picasso Sculpture | Chicago | Marc Acito | Michael Perrie Jr |
| Man with Fish | Chicago | | Pete Simpson |
| Frederick Douglass | Chicago | Terry McMillan | Robert Lacy Jr |
| Miro's Chicago | Chicago | Wendy MacLeod | Bart Shatto |
| the Cowardly Lion | Chicago | Wendy MacLeod | Bruce Kramer |
| Cloud Gate | Chicago | Wendy MacLeod | Bart Shatto |
| Hans Christian Andersen | Chicago | Kim Fupz Aakeson | Mads Mikkelsen |
| Benjamin Franklin Monument | Chicago | Marc Acito | David Dencik |
| The Chicago Lincoln | Chicago | Marc Acito | Stacey Lightman | |
| Image | Statue | Location | Author | Actor(s) |
|---|
| Giganticus Headicus | Arizona | Roddy Doyle | Gabriel Byrne |
| James Connolly | Arizona | Brendan O'Carroll | Brendan O'Carroll |
| James Larkin | Arizona | Enda Walsh | Stephen Rea |
| O'Connell Monument | Arizona | Paula Meehan | Ruth Negga |
| Old Bill Williams statue | Arizona | Patrick McCabe | Brendan Gleeson |
| Geronimo Surrender Monument | Arizona | John Banville | Andrew Scott |
| Madonna of the Trail | Arizona | Rachel Kilfeather | Brenda Fricker |
| George Bernard Shaw | Arizona | Arthur Mathews | Stephen Brennan |
| Miner | Arizona | Michaela Mcmahon | Maria Doyle Kennedy | |
| Image | Statue | Location | Author | Actor(s) |
|---|
| The Spirit of Detroit | Detroit | Roddy Doyle | Gabriel Byrne |
| James Scott statue and fountain | Detroit | Enda Walsh | Stephen Rea |
| Thaddeus Kosciuszko Statue | Detroit | Paula Meehan | Ruth Negga |
| Select The Michigan Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument | Detroit | Patrick McCabe | Brendan Gleeson |
| Statue of Alexander Macomb | Detroit | John Banville | Andrew Scott |
| Gateway to Freedom International Memorial to the Underground Railroad | Detroit | Rachel Kilfeather | Brenda Fricker |
| The Fist. Monument to Joe Louis | Detroit | Arthur Mathews | Stephen Brennan |
| Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac | Detroit | Michaela Mcmahon | Maria Doyle Kennedy | |
| Image | Statue | Location | Author | Actor(s) |
|---|
| Ronald Reagan | Miami | Roddy Doyle | Gabriel Byrne |
| James Scott statue and fountain | Miami | Enda Walsh | Stephen Rea |
| Miami Bull | Miami | Paula Meehan | Ruth Negga |
| Miami Beach Holocaust Memorial | Miami | Patrick McCabe | Brendan Gleeson |
| Juan Ponce de León | Miami | John Banville | Andrew Scott |
| Julia Tuttev | Miami | Rachel Kilfeather | Brenda Fricker |
| The Tower Of Snow Statue | Miami | Arthur Mathews | Stephen Brennan |
| Columbus | Miami | Michaela Mcmahon | Maria Doyle Kennedy | |
| Image | Statue | Location | Author | Actor(s) |
|---|
| Centennial Land Run Monument | Oklahoma | Roddy Doyle | Gabriel Byrne |
| Pioneer Woman | Oklahoma | Enda Walsh | Stephen Rea |
| Golden Driller | | Paula Meehan | Ruth Negga |
| As Long as the Waters Flows | Oklahoma | Patrick McCabe | Brendan Gleeson |
| And Jesus Wept | Oklahoma | John Banville | Andrew Scott |
| The Guardian | Oklahoma | Rachel Kilfeather | Brenda Fricker |
| The Tower Of Snow Statue | Oklahoma | Arthur Mathews | Stephen Brennan |
| Columbus | Oklahoma | Michaela Mcmahon | Maria Doyle Kennedy | |
| Image | Statue | Location | Author | Actor(s) |
|---|
| Freedom Sculpture | Philadelphia | Roddy Doyle | Gabriel Byrne |
| Thorfinn Karlsefni Statue | Philadelphia | Enda Walsh | Stephen Rea |
| Lion fighter | Philadelphia | Paula Meehan | Ruth Negga |
| Joe Frazier statue | Philadelphia | Patrick McCabe | Brendan Gleeson |
| Rocky Statue | Philadelphia | John Banville | Andrew Scott |
| Christopher Columbus | Philadelphia | Rachel Kilfeather | Brenda Fricker |
| The Tower Of Snow Statue | Philadelphia | Arthur Mathews | Stephen Brennan |
| Lincoln | Philadelphia | Michaela Mcmahon | Maria Doyle Kennedy | |
External links
- Official site
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/uk/10951461/Englands-historic-statues-start-talking.html
- http://londonist.com/2014/08/talking-statues-brings-london-monuments-to-life.php
Notes and References
- Web site: 'Talking Statues' project brings NYC history to life with a new smartphone app 6sqft . 2024-03-04 . en-US.
- Web site: Thometz . Kristen . 12 August 2016 . Chicago’s Talking Statues Project Extended for Another Year . 3 March 2024 . WTTW News.
