Talking Statues, a Danish public history and art concept in which authors and actors give voice to selected statues worldwide, launched in New York City on July, 12, 2017. Using a QR reader on their smartphone, passersby can scan a barcode placed near a statue of a historic figure and receive a call from the statue. An actor who pre-recorded the call in character of the person the statue memorializes briefly tells his or her story and explains that person’s connection to New York.
According to the project website, “Talking Statues started in Copenhagen in 2013 by documentary filmmaker David Peter Fox. While taking his children through the King’s Garden, Fox was fascinated by the stories behind the statues, and he tried to think of a way to best communicate this to the public. His original idea was to make small films about each statue but then decided the statues should tell their own stories. In September 2013 Talking Statues debuted its first talking statue of fairytale writer Hans Christian Andersen in Copenhagen’s King’s Garden. It was a huge success, and the project expanded to cities such as Helsinki, London, San Diego, Berlin, and Chicago.”
Read the full press release about the launch here.