Now Speak!

The now destroyed public sculpture “Now, Speak!” was a sculpture made by Argentinian artist Amalia Pica. It was near by a so called desire line, a social trail, avoiding “splendidly laid pavements, traffic-safety barriers and idyllically organized pedestrian areas with sober insight. Desire lines are tangible proof that people do not allow themselves to be straitjacketed in public space” (Jan Dirk van der Burg).

Pica erected a concrete sculpture of an “official looking” speaker’s desk, this used to stand along a shortcut unofficial path on the Gulden Kruis lawn, which is used as a short route by local dwellers. Its title “Now, Speak!” refers to a quote attributed to Michelangelo, commanding, to unknown avail, his newly finished Moses-sculpture, that he found almost lifelike. The artist’s intention was to inspire spontaneous performances and speeches of people using this path. Pica said: “I am interested in what brings us together, and so communication and its difficulties are for me a sign of how much we need each other,”

The artwork, which was put up in 2009 by Straat van Sculpturen, has since been destroyed by unknown people. Neither Street of Sculptures, nor the municipality has been able to repair it, despite the demands of other local residents to restore it. A replica of it exists at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.