Living statue
The term
Living Statue is often used to refer to a type of
mime artist who poses like a
statue or
mannequin, usually with realistic statue-like
makeup, sometimes for hours at a time. This is an art that requires a great deal of patience and physical stamina. Living statue performers have been known to pose as shop window mannequins in order to fool passers by, and a number of
hidden camera shows on
television have had living statues suddenly spring to life to startle people.
In science fiction and fantasy the term often has the opposite meaning: humans (or other humanoid creatures such as elves) who are immobilized by technology or magic and sometimes disguised as real statues, often remaining conscious in the process. For example, in Michael Moorcock's fantasy novel The Queen of the Swords, the heroes encounter the Frozen Army that once set out to fight an evil goddess but were turned into living statues instead.
