Nails’ Tales sculpture removed outside Camp Randall Stadium

Jaymes Langrehr by Jaymes Langrehr

Copyright 2019 by Channel 3000. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Copyright 2019 by Channel 3000. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Copyright 2019 by Channel 3000. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.





The area outside of Camp Randall Stadium will look a little different when fans show up for the Badgers’ first home game.

The much-debated “Nails’ Tales” sculpture outside the stadium at the corner of Regent Street and Breese Terrace was taken down Wednesday morning.

The 50-foot-tall sculpture represents a pile of footballs. Reaction to it has been mixed since being unveiled in 2005. Plans to renovate the plaza outside the Field House released in March did not include the sculpture.

Crews will work to take it down on Wednesday in a process UW officials say will take several hours. Work to deconstruct the sculpture’s foundation will continue through the rest of August and should be removed in time for the Badgers’ game against Central Michigan on Sept. 7.

The future of the sculpture itself remains unclear. The university says it will store the sculpture in a location about 15 miles off-campus until a new site can be found.

Nails’ Tails artist Donald Lipski: “I think of it as half-time, and am expecting that by the end of the game, you will all be surprised and—I hope—delighted. Stay tuned!” The sculpture is coming down after 14 years at @UWMadison #news3now #Badgers pic.twitter.com/srE14Whkks

— Mark Schilling NEWS3 (@Area_Photog) August 21, 2019

The artist behind Nails’ Tales, Donald Lipski, says the university has stayed in communication with him on the plans to take down the sculpture and find a new home for it.

“The University has been very respectful and I’ve been assured that they are committed to working with me to find a new site for Nails’ Tales,” Lipski said in a statement to News 3 Now. “I think of it as halftime, and am expecting that by the end of the game, you will all be surprised and — I hope — delighted. Stay tuned!”

The $1.8 million project to redevelop the Field House’s south plaza is scheduled to begin in February, and is expected to be finished in time for the 2020 season.

Get your weather forecast from people who actually live in your community. We update with short, easy-to-use video forecasts you can watch on your phone every day. Download the iOS or Android app here.

COPYRIGHT 2020 BY CHANNEL 3000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.