This speeding velocipede attracted my attention in London and as an added benefit when our velocipedian's stint as a living statue ends for the day she has her own transport to get home. I have difficulty sitting still for five minutes so can't imagine how it must be to sit like this for hours on end and how much the muscles must start to ache. There are many living statues here in Trafalgar Square because the pitches are a free for all but if wanting to ply their trade elsewhere, such as on the South Bank or Covent Garden, then a licence is required. On a Tuesday the pitches are allocated by a lottery system
which this person must have won. We passed him as he was putting on his gloves and getting ready to set up for the day on the South Bank. I imagine this is a very good pitch because of the high footfall of people and also it was a Sunday which means there are all-sorts of other attractions to gather the crowds.
Living statues have increased in recent years but it is a tradition that goes back to medieval times when they were assembled as tableaux vivants (living picture) for festivities and royal pageantry. In the present day companies hire out living statues for parties and events and there is even a World Championship every year in Arnhem in the Netherlands when the 'statues' will be judged in four ways - Content (what is their story), Craftsmanship (do they look like a statue), Aesthetic (are they beautiful in some way) and Entertainment (how do they interact with an audience). The World Living Statue Festival website shows some of the participants
here
An entry to ABC Wednesday, a journey through the alphabet, this week sojourning at V
here
