By james art Curious and puzzled onlookers spent a few moments of their weekend looking at the 43-foot-tall naked statue of former President Donald Trump that was erected across from Demeter Park.
News stations across the country have followed the scowling, anatomically specific sculpture on what organizers are calling its “Distorted and Obscene” tour of swing states. The statue was on display in the 2200 block of Pennsylvania Avenue.
“This thought-provoking installation continues to ignite conversations about leadership, power and the dynamics of modern politics,” said a news release sent Friday to the Cap Times by an organizer identified as Eric M. Sanchez. No additional identifying information is included in the message.
The statue’s stop in Madison was only planned for the weekend. By Sunday afternoon word had spread.
“I was pulled over to drop something off at my brother’s house and this guy drove by and said, ‘I don’t know your politics, but there’s a giant Trump that’s closing,'” said one young visitor, Zoe, who asked not to be identified. just with a small name because “I might want to run for office one day.”
“I was wondering what the message was here, whether it was intentional or not,” said Corbin, who had come with her and also declined to give his last name. “Is the big naked Trump an ’emperor has no clothes’ kind of thing.”
“Or is it just humiliation?” Zooey said.
Reporters in Phoenix identified the statue’s materials (foam and rebar). It reportedly weighs 6,000 pounds, according to Newsweek, and travels in a semi-truck.
In Las Vegas, where the sculpture first appeared in early October, news outlets cited its anonymous creators as intending to “serve as a commentary on the transparency — or lack thereof — in politics, challenging viewers to think critically about political influence.”
The answer was predictable: Trump-supporting Republicans hate him (“Nevada GOP strongly condemns deplorable statue”). Others find the giant Trump puppet amusing.
Dawn Witek of Verona stops on Pennsylvania Avenue to take pictures of a giant naked statue of former President Donald Trump that was temporarily on display in Madison.
“It’s huge,” Green Bay’s Brian Bartel said. He was in Madison with Kim Windburn for the Wisconsin Badgers football game against Penn State. The two spent 40 minutes driving around the city’s north side to find the sculpture, which Windburn said was worth it.
Julie, of Madison, stopped with her teenage daughter Sunday afternoon to take a selfie with the sculpture swaying gently behind them.
“I saw it online when it was in Vegas,” Julie said of the piece. “They changed his lower parts. He had it all—everything. … I thought, “Well, I want to check it out!”
On a balmy afternoon, Madison residents in Green Bay Packers sweatshirts, jeans and comfy boots walked through apple trees from nearby north side parking lots to get a better photo with the sculpture. Most seemed to find it funny, or at least curious enough to document it.
“If we don’t laugh, what will we do?” Julie said. “We are all in a dark time. I feel sad for our country right now.”
Zoe and Corbin agreed. They are worried about the results of the November 5 election.
“I don’t think there’s anything as demonstrative as that to change anyone’s mind at this point,” Zoe said.
“It’s easy to say, ‘Oh, Madison is relatively liberal, what impact is that going to have here?'” Corbin said. “But at the same time, if you take it to a conservative or divisive city, is it really going to blow people’s minds, or are you going to say it’s just an attack?” This can stimulate people on the other side. It’s hard to know.”
The result may be just a tiny bit of stress relief, Corbin said.
“It brings people together,” Zoe said. “We all came together to point and laugh.”