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Photo gallery Nails’ Tales sculpture removed

August 21, 2019

Construction workers this week removed the Nails’ Tales sculpture and placed it in storage as part of the redesign of the UW Field House South Plaza.  Lifting the 50-foot obelisk onto a flatbed truck required a crane and a team of workers. UW–Madison is working with the artist, Donald Lipski, and campus stakeholders to find a new site for the artwork in the next year. The redesign includes a new major campus gateway at the corner of Regent Street and Breese Terrace, with construction beginning in February 2020 and to be completed ahead of the 2020 football season. The project design includes an entry sign and landscape improvements, features that would be blocked by the 50-foot obelisk, which has stood at the site since 2005.

Photo: The Nails' Tails sculpture with a crane's wire attached to it in preparation for a move.

A crane lifts the Nails' Tales sculpture from its base on the south side of Camp Randall Stadium. The 50-foot obelisk has stood at the site since 2005. Photo by: Bryce Richter

Photo: A worker on a lift next to the statue, ties a wire to it.

A worker on a lift helps attach a line from a crane onto the Nails' Tales statue, in preparation for lifting it from its base. Photo by: Bryce Richter

Photo: A crane transports a large statue.

Nails' Tales is moved by a crane, with Camp Randall Stadium in the background. Photo by: Bryce Richter

Photo: Four workers hold the statue under its base by their shoulders.

A construction crew from JP Cullen guide the base of the statue as a crane carries it. Photo by: Bryce Richter

Photo: A crane lowers a huge statue onto a large track.

The crane gently lowers the Nails' Tales sculpture onto the truck. Photo by: Bryce Richter

Photo: Workers pull a tarp over a sculpture laying down on a truck.

Workers pull a tarp over the sculpture, secure on the flatbed trailer. Photo by: Bryce Richter

Photo: A worker welds a metal bar below the sculpture.

A worker welds a support to hold the sculpture onto the semitrailer truck that's transporting it. The sculpture will be placed in storage until a new display location can be chosen. Photo by: Bryce Richter

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