The New Badger in Town

Bryce Richter

There’s a new badger on the block —or The Badger, as the statue across the street from Camp Randall Stadium is boldly named. And bold it is: at 10 feet long, it boasts shades of bronze, a lifelike face, pronounced claws, and engraved fur texture. Thanks to its flattened back, game-day passersby can hop on for a memorable photo op. The statue was one of the last works of Monona-based Ho-Chunk artist Harry Whitehorse, who died in 2017 at age 90. His wife, Deb, told the Wisconsin State Journal: “His philosophy of art was he wanted people to be able to touch it — to be able to interact and enjoy art and not consider it something to put on a pedestal out of reach.”

Published in the Winter 2019 issue