Lecture: Arnesons' Art

Introduction to Bob Arneson00:00:00

Bob Arneson was a Bay Area artist born and raised in Benicia who lived to be 62. He studied at the College of Marin, California College of Arts and Crafts, and Mills College. He spent 29 years teaching at UC Davis and is known as a founder of northern California Funk art related to clay.

Artistic Influences and Themes00:02:00

Arneson gravitated toward Pop Art ideals, focusing on cultural manipulation through advertisements and consumer symbols. He created trophies and everyday objects like toasters and toilets with subversive subtexts regarding political structures and gender roles.

National Attention and Self-Portraits00:04:46

After New York critics dismissed him as a vacuous California artist for submitting toilets to a national exhibition, Arneson embraced the role irreverently. He began creating self-portraits using himself as 'every man' to explore psychology, identity, and the multiplicity of human experience.

The Moscone Monument00:10:03

Arneson received a commission to create a memorial for Mayor Moscone and Harvey Milk. He incorporated dark details, such as the 'Twinkie defense' and bullet holes, which were locally unpopular but made him an international household name.

Later Works and Legacy00:11:21

His work expanded to address militarization and nuclear destruction. In his final years, he documented his battle with cancer. His final self-portrait was completed by his assistant using Arneson's ashes in the glaze.