Robert Arneson

Robert Arneson was an American sculptor and ceramicist hailed as the father of Funk Art, the anti-establishment movement that embraced the incorporation of found objects, autobiographical subjects, and humor. Born in 1930 in Benicia, California, Arneson's artistic journey began after a stint as a cartoonist for a local newspaper, leading him to pursue studies at the California College of the Arts. In 1962, he was appointed the role of professor of ceramics at UC Davis, where he dedicated nearly thirty years to shaping the institution's ceramic sculpture program, elevating the medium from its former status to a respected form of fine art. Arneson's legacy is prominently marked by his Eggheads series, eccentric sculptures of faces adorning the UC Davis campus. His impactful career was cut short by his passing on November 2, 1992, succumbing to liver cancer in his hometown of Benicia, CA.

A testament to his artistic legacy, his works can be found in major institutions around the world including including the Chicago Art Institute, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C., the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C.