New Bucky on Parade celebrates 175 years, honors UW–Madison’s past, present, and future
Hitchcock and Herrmann stand with the finished statue. You can see their Bucky debut at UW–Madison’s 175th Anniversary Launch Celebration on Wednesday, July 26. Photo by Sarah Maughan and Sirtaj Grewal
A new Bucky on Parade statue, “Honor the Air, Land, and Water,” will debut this week to kick off UW–Madison’s 175th Anniversary celebration.
Look for it at the celebration on Wednesday, July 26, at Memorial Union, where you can have your photo taken with it at an open-air photo booth.
The new statue is part of the five-year anniversary celebration of the Bucky on Parade public art project. Many of the 85 statues created five years ago are on display again, and Destination Madison introduced a digital, mobile-friendly pass and online map that Bucky fans can use through Sept. 15.
The new statue, featuring iconography that represents the university’s past, present, and future, was painted by Art Professor John Hitchcock, with assistance from UW–Madison student Kaylee Herrmann, an undergraduate with the Art Department.
Hitchcock says he considered “the importance of place, being grounded in oneself, and our quest to discover more about who we are as a people” in developing this new work.
Watch the transformation of a blank Bucky statue into an artistic masterpiece:
In late May, Bucky was delivered to Hitchcock’s studio in the UW–Madison Art Lofts. The first step was to thoroughly wash the statue to prepare it for painting. Photos by Sarah Maughan and Sirtaj Grewal
In late May, Bucky was delivered to Hitchcock’s studio in the UW–Madison Art Lofts. The first step was to thoroughly wash the statue to prepare it for painting. Photos by Sarah Maughan and Sirtaj Grewal
Before they got to work painting Bucky, Hitchcock and Herrmann used printmaking and drawing to research and arrive at the final design. Photos by Sarah Maughan and Sirtaj Grewal
Before they got to work painting Bucky, Hitchcock and Herrmann used printmaking and drawing to research and arrive at the final design. Photos by Sarah Maughan and Sirtaj Grewal
Three coats of red and white acrylic paint make up the base of the statue, mostly applied with rollers. “I feel like this was the most time-consuming part,” says Herrmann. Photos by Sarah Maughan and Sirtaj Grewal
Three coats of red and white acrylic paint make up the base of the statue, mostly applied with rollers. “I feel like this was the most time-consuming part,” says Herrmann. Photos by Sarah Maughan and Sirtaj Grewal
The black and silver lines and “Xs” that make up the background of the statue reference time and history, says Hitchcock. “The X is the unknown. The X keeps track of time and the quest for knowledge marking our accomplishments. I am also thinking about our ability to affect our planet.” Photos by Sarah Maughan and Sirtaj Grewal
The black and silver lines and “Xs” that make up the background of the statue reference time and history, says Hitchcock. “The X is the unknown. The X keeps track of time and the quest for knowledge marking our accomplishments. I am also thinking about our ability to affect our planet.” Photos by Sarah Maughan and Sirtaj Grewal
Stars also adorn the statue. “The star is a reference to the many people who have passed through this area we call Teejope,” says Hitchcock. The four points signal the cardinal directions — north, south, east, and west — and serve as a metaphor for how people have moved in and through and beyond this place. Photos by Sarah Maughan and Sirtaj Grewal
“As an artist, I am continually asking questions about our society and the importance of how we contribute to progress and our future together,” says Hitchcock. “As a professor, I have worked to honor and assist students through teaching art and serving as an administrator in leadership roles for the past 22 years.” Photos by Sarah Maughan and Sirtaj Grewal
On the bottom of the statue is an abstract representation of a flower garden, featuring bright shades of blue, purple, and green. White is also included, representing Wisconsin’s state flower — the wood violet. Photos by Sarah Maughan and Sirtaj Grewal
The newest Bucky on Parade statue.
Tags: arts, Bucky Badger, Bucky on Parade, UW175
