The Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art was buzzing last night (Nov. 4) for the premiere of the new short documentary Unexpected Legends: Arneson, Eggheads and Arts at UC Davis. Produced by UC Davis Strategic Communications and distributed by KVIE, the film tells the surprising history and trajectory of one of the country’s most dynamic creative environments.

The film is an extension of the Year of the Eggheads, a campuswide celebration of Robert Arneson, a longtime professor at UC Davis and the creator of the five sculptures comprising the Egghead Series on campus that have elicited joy, engagement and conversation since their installation in 1994.

Unexpected Legends illustrates how Arneson was part of a community of artists building the arts on campus, including Richard Nelson, William T. Wiley, Wayne Thiebaud and others who ignited a revolution that largely took place in a nondescript building known as TB 9, or Temporary Building 9 (now on the National Register of Historic Places and the California Register of Historical Resources). 

The film also showcases the contemporary, collaborative culture of the arts today at Davis, including interviews with alumni and artist Deborah Butterfield; Katia Vega, assistant professor in the Department of Design; Beatriz Cortez, associate professor of art; Seongmin Yoo, MFA in art studio; April Camlin, MFA in art studio; and others. 

Unexpected Legends will make its television debut on KVIE at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 13. It will also be streaming on-demand through the PBS app. Watch the trailer below:

Upon arrival, guests received complimentary gift bags that included a custom viewfinder bringing to life the history of the Egghead Series through a gallery of slide photos, provided by the College of Letters and Sciences. 

Chancellor Gary S. May kicked off the night with introductory remarks.

“The arts continue to be a vital part of our university,” May said, before he noted a study that demonstrated Nobel laureate recipients in the sciences were 50 percent more likely to be artists. “I believe in its transformative power.” 

Additional introductory remarks were made by Estella Atekwana, dean of the College of Letters and Science, who cited the impact of the recent and historic $20 million gift from Maria Manetti Shrem, transforming the museum into “a world influential center for the arts.” John Mounier, director of visual communications for the Office of Strategic Communications, closed the introductory remarks, expressing gratitude to artist Sandy Shannonhouse and members of the Arneson family in attendance for their participation and collaboration.

The screening was followed by an engaging panel discussion led by Rachel Teagle, director of the Manetti Shrem Museum; alongside Professor Darrin Martin, co-chair, Department of Art and Art History; April Camlin, MFA in art studio; and Robin Hill, professor of art. Topics ranged from the role of arts on campus, navigating private interests and censorship in our contemporary climate and audience questions about the need to fail in order to creatively succeed. 

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