THE ART OF ARNESON

Yin and Yang (1992-2002), Robert Arneson, Bronze with white patina, edition 2/3, The blogger's husband posing with the statue. The artist had a keen sense of humor and probably would have like the correlation between the real and the fake heads.

Robert Arneson was born in Benicia California in 1930. After a stint teaching in a California highschool, he became interested in ceramics. In 1958 Arneson received an MFA from Mills College and in 1962 he became a professor at the University of California Davis.

Looking at Arneson's work today one might suspect the artist had a keen sense of humor. What one might not suspect is that the way he used ceramics was, for the time, ground-breaking. Until that time, most ceramics artists created pieces which were purely functional (think teapots, bowls, and tiles). Arneson broke away from that tradition and started creating non-utilitarian pieces. Soon, he became associated with a group of California "Pop" artists who created what was known as "Funk art".

Arneson also became known for creating a series of self-portraits in a wide variety of mediums. Each work depicted the artist with a different identity. In this way, he associated himself with larger issues such as suffereing, life, and death. This is not to suggest that the artist was not controversial. Arneson created many works which challenged authority, poked fun at public figures, and questioned the art world itself.

Robert Arneson, Portrait of George (Moscone), 1981 (7'-10" x 29")

The most famous of these works is a depiction of the San Francisco mayor George Moscone. Arneson was commissioned to create the sculpture in 1981 for the Moscone Convention Center just a few short years after the popular politician's 1978 assassination. When the bust was revealed, much of the public was shocked by the five bloody bullet holes on the pedestal, the words "bang, bang, bang" and "Harvey Milk Too!" Eventually, the Arts Council decided not to use the bust and a private collector purchased it.

The Egghead series (photo at top of page) were among some of the artist's last works before he died. They were originally commissioned for the UC Davis campus. Today the Eggheads are an important part of life on the campus. In fact, the artist specifically requested that the University never limit or inhibit the student's playful interaction with his sculptures. Because the estate of the artist owns the originals, 'editions' of the same works can be seen in other public locations. Recently, when I was in San Francisco, I saw Yin and Yang on the Embarcadero. Pictured above with my husband posing next to them, these pieces are bronze with a white patina are number 2 in an edition of 3.

Today, Robert Arneson's pieces continually sell privately and at auction. Some recent auction figures can be found below. The pieces that demand the most money are those that are more representative of the artist's point of view. Generally, this means they are political or funny. The first piece listed below was completed in a more traditional style and sold for just $3,585. The other pieces have sold or are estimated to sell for higher values because they better represent what collectors are looking for when buying an Arneson piece.

Robert Arneson
Title
Self-portrait
Medium
bronze with blue green patina
Year of Work
1990
Size
Height 7.2 in.; Width 4.2 in.; Depth 3 in. / Height 18.3 cm.; Width 10.7 cm.; Depth 7.6 cm.
Found./Pub.
Walla Walla ed.
Misc.
Inscribed, Stamped
Sale of
Bonhams & Butterfields: Monday, November 19, 2007 [Lot 01604]Made in California
Estimate
5,000 - 7,000 US$
Sold For
3,585 US$

(UPCOMING SALE)
Robert Arneson
Title
W.T.W. witness - William T. Wiley
Description
Robert Arneson (American, 1930-1992)W.T.W. Witness (William T. Wiley), 1980signed and dated 'Arneson 1980' (lower right)conte crayon, oil crayon, oil paste and oil stick on Reeves paper51 x 30in
Medium
conté crayon, oil crayon, oil paste and oil stick on Reeves paper
Year of Work
1980
Size
Height 51 in.; Width 30 in. / Height 129.5 cm.; Width 76.2 cm.
Misc.
Signed
Sale of
Bonhams & Butterfields Los Angeles: Tuesday, November 17, 2009 [Lot 02082]Made in California
Estimate
20,000 - 30,000 US$
Provenance
Morgan Gallery, Shawnee Mission, Kansas (label on the reverse)Hansen Fuller Goldeen Gallery, San Francisco, California (label on the reverse)Property of a Southern California Collection

Robert Arneson
Title
A nuclear warhead
Medium
ceramic
Year of Work
1983
Size
Height 16.9 in.; Width 18.5 in.; Depth 9.1 in. / Height 42.9 cm.; Width 47 cm.; Depth 23.1 cm.
Misc.
Signed
Sale of
Bonhams & Butterfields: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 [Lot 01119]Made in California
Estimate
12,000 - 18,000 US$
Sold For
32,400 US$