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[1] 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.
Image | Statue | Location | Author | Actor(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hans Christian Andersen | King's Garden | Carsten Rudolf / David Peter Fox | Jens Jacob Tychsen | |
N. F. S. Grundtvig | Vartov Yard | Carsten Rudolf / David Peter Fox | Jens Jacob Tychsen | |
Søren Kierkegaard | Royal Library Garden | Carsten Rudolf / David Peter Fox | Jens Jacob Tychsen | |
Ludvig Holberg | The Royal Theater, Copenhagen | Carsten Rudolf / David Peter Fox | Jens Jacob Tychsen | |
Adam Oehlenschläger | The Royal Theater, Copenhagen | Carsten Rudolf / David Peter Fox | Jens Jacob Tychsen | |
Frederik V | Amalienborg Palace Square | Carsten Rudolf / David Peter Fox | Jens Jacob Tychsen | |
Christian IV | Øster Voldgade, Copenhagen | Carsten Rudolf / David Peter Fox | Jens Jacob Tychsen | |
Tycho Brahe | Copenhagen Observatorium | Carsten Rudolf / David Peter Fox | Jens Jacob Tychsen | |
Hans Christian Andersen | City Town Hall, Copenhagen | Carsten Rudolf / David Peter Fox | Jens Jacob Tychsen | |
Hans Christian Ørsted | Ørstedsparken, Copenhagen | Carsten Rudolf / David Peter Fox | Jens Jacob Tychsen |
Image | Statue | Location | Author | Actor(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Peter Pan | Kensington Gardens | Ella Hickson | Daniel Roche | |
Queen Victoria | Blackfriars Bridge | Elizabeth Day | Prunella Scales | |
Dick Whittington’s Cat | Highgate Hill | Helen Lederer | Helen Lederer | |
Hugh Myddleton | Islington Green | Tom Basden | Jonny Sweet | |
The Goat | Spitalfields Market | Hugh Dennis | Hugh Dennis | |
Eye I | Bishopsgate | Sara Pascoe | Sara Pascoe | |
John Wilkes | Fetter Lane, Holborn | Jeremy Paxman | Jeremy Paxman | |
Rowland Hill | City of London | Colette Hiller | Alan Johnson, MP | |
Hodge the Cat | Gough Square, Holborn | Catherine Hiller | Nicholas Parsons | |
Isaac Newton | British Library | Timberlake Wertenbaker | Simon Russell Beale | |
Sherlock Holmes | Baker Street station | Anthony Horowitz | Ed Stoppard | |
"The Plumber's Apprentice | Paddington station | Rachel Wagstaff | Hugh Bonneville | |
George Orwell" | BBC Broadcasting House | Robert Seatter | Mathew Horne | |
Queen Victoria | Kensington Palace | Katrina Burnett | Patricia Hodge |
Image | Statue | Location | Author | Actor(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Abraham Lincoln | Brazenoze Square | Gary Younge | Tom Conti | |
Reading Girl | Manchester Central Library | Jacqueline Wilson | Jenna Coleman | |
Alan Turing | Fairfield Street | Mark Ravenhill | Russell Tovey | |
LS Lowry | Sam's Chophouse | Kiran Benawara | David Neilson | |
John Barbirolli | Bridgewater Hall | Michael Kennedy | Timothy West | |
Queen Victoria | Piccadilly Gardens | Katrina Burnett | Prunella Scales |
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) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Fontana del Tritone | Rome | David Peter Fox | Gabriel Byrne | |
Bocca della Verità | Rome | David Peter Fox | Brendan O'Carroll | |
Statue of Julius Caesar | Rome | David Peter Fox | Stephen Rea | |
Ecstasy of Saint Teresa | Rome | David Peter Fox | Ruth Negga | |
Michelangelo's Moses | Rome | David Peter Fox | Brendan Gleeson | |
Statue of Marcus Aurelius | Rome | David Peter Fox | Andrew Scott | |
Il Babuino | Rome | David Peter Fox | Brendan Gleeson | |
Augustus of Prima Porta | Rome | David Peter Fox | Brendan Gleeson | |
Madama Lucrezia | Rome | David Peter Fox | Andrew Scott | |
Il Facchino | Rome | David Peter Fox | Andrew Scott | |
Pasquino | Rome | David Peter Fox | Andrew Scott | |
Capitoline She-wolf | Rome | David Peter Fox | Brenda Fricker | |
Abate Luigi | Rome | David Peter Fox | Stephen Brennan | |
Marforio | Rome | David Peter Fox | Maria Doyle Kennedy | |
Laocoön and His Sons | Rome | David Peter Fox | Joe Duffy |
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) |
---|---|---|---|---|
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 |