The edgy and expressive works of the late sculptor Robert Arneson can be found at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and many other museums and galleries throughout the world. Eight of his pieces line the walls at Shields Library on the University of California, Davis, campus where Arneson taught art for three decades.

But to students and alumni of UC Davis, Arneson’s most enduring legacy is the outsized, eggshell-colored Egghead sculptures on campus that they love, hug, and pose with in their caps and gowns at commencement — and on ordinary days, too.

The sculptures on five central sites are part of the lore of the 5,300-acre campus, bringing everything from good luck during exams (kiss or rub the Bookhead) to a watchful eye on campus administrators (Eye on Mrak (Fatal Laff)). The Egghead Series exemplifies Arneson’s humorous take on serious subjects, as well as his vital role in the California Funk art movement that was incubated at UC Davis before reaching a global audience.

Throughout 2024 — 30 years after the final Eggheads were installed — UC Davis will commemorate this art heritage through a series of events, a special lobby display at the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art, and a new line of Egghead-themed products that enable anyone to wear or take a piece of Arneson home with them.

“We are excited to celebrate the artistic legacy and impact of the Eggheads,” said UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May. “Professor Arneson’s sculptures are an indelible part of campus life and a reminder of the power of public art to build community.”

Products and an interactive website go live today (April 1) followed by special events at the museum and beyond Thursday, April 4. A portion of proceeds from the sales of Egghead merchandise go toward the restoration and preservation of The Egghead Series.

Eggheads as campus icon

“It is unique that the UC Davis community has adopted a work of art as the symbol of our university,” said Rachel Teagle, founding director of the Manetti Shrem Museum. “Over the years, the Eggheads have taken on a life of their own and mean different things to different people, but ultimately reflect UC Davis’ values of freedom of speech and critical thought.”

The Egghead Series, installed at five sites during the 1990s, consists of the following. They are listed from where one sees the first Egghead in front of Mrak Hall, to the library, to sites near campus buildings.

Full walking instructions

• See No Evil/Hear No Evil in the traffic circle across from the School of Law’s King Hall (installed in May 1994 and moved to current location in November 2009 when King Hall constructed an addition)
• Eye on Mrak (Fatal Laff) on the north side of Mrak Hall, installed May 1994
• Bookhead, in front of Peter J. Shields Library (the first of the sculptures, installed in October 1991; unlike the others, it is light blue)
• Yin & Yang, in front of Wright Hall, installed September 1992
• Stargazer, east of North Hall and south of Young Hall, installed May 1994

Arneson, who died of cancer in 1992, chose to base the sculptures on the motif of “egghead,” the slang term denoting intellectuals in general and academics in particular. They all reflect the powerful influence of the world, politics and UC Davis on his art. The site-specific works were commissioned by the then Campus Art in Public Places Work Group with private funds.

Arneson’s widow, Sandy Shannonhouse, a sculptor and UC Davis alum, said Arneson would have enjoyed all the ways in which the Eggheads are being enjoyed today. 

“My family and I are thrilled that Bob’s legacy as an artist and as a professor at UC Davis are being honored today in ways that he would appreciate,” she said. “He had a tremendous sense of humor, and used humor to address critical political and social issues and encouraged his students to do the same.

“Above all, he always soaked up the knowledge, the culture and the spirit the university had to offer, and I hope students and faculty and everyone in the university community can take something from that.”

The Eggheads described

The works depict Eggheads working, playing, resting and conversing. A 1994 UC Davis news release described the installations that year:

One is an Egghead that will lie on its back on a hill near Young Hall, looking toward the sky with a contemplative expression. Another is an Egghead that is upside-down, located just north of Mrak and facing towards Shields Library, with an incised eye looking toward the fifth floor of Mrak with a strong grimace that could be interpreted as laughter or pain. Finally, two Eggheads will be installed east of the law school, leaning backwards slightly, as if having a debate, but neither has ears. …

Manetti Shrem Museum display

As part of the Egghead celebration, the Manetti Shrem Museum will showcase Arneson’s early models of the Eggheads in its lobby. Most of these models, known as maquettes, have never been shown before. Mounted near the large front windows, the display will be visible even when the museum is closed. Photos and stories submitted by Aggies about their memories and moments with the sculptures will accompany the Egghead models.

“Hatched: The Making of Robert Arneson’s Eggheads” will be on view from April 1 to June 16.