Public Art Comes to Life in Canary Wharf

Amongst the bustle of shoppers and workers in Canary Wharf’s Cabot Square sits the bronze sculpture ‘Couple on Seat’ by renowned artist Lynn Chadwick. On 19 August, Canary Wharf Group’s ‘Couple’ will become the latest statue in London to be given its own voice as part of the ‘Talking Statues’ project led by Colette Hiller. Passers-by can swipe their smart phones on a nearby tag to hear the bronze figures come to life with monologues that offer a comedic take on the two sides of a marriage voiced by celebrated British comedians and actors Meera Syal and Sanjeev Bhaskar and fabulously written by author of Meatspace and Coconut Unlimited, Nikesh Shukla.

The national Talking Statues initiative animates 35 sculptures in London and Manchester for a year, coupling humorous monologues that have been inspired by each of the individual works of art. The producers, Sing London, have commissioned some of the nation’s most celebrated writers to pen soliloquies for this range of iconic figures, each read and interpreted by a cast of equally talented actors, comedians and celebrities.