Yin and Yang
Robert Arneson · art, music and theatre complex, UC Davis, California, USA · 1992
Photo: photographer not named in our source, as published on Street Art Utopia.
Two giant white heads by Robert Arneson sit in the front courtyard of the art, music and theatre complex at UC Davis: one speaks with its eyes closed, the other lies on its ear with its back to the speaker. They were installed in 1992. Source Source Checked
Seen Nov 2010: Google Street View from November 2010 shows the pair on its round lawn beside Wright Hall. We found no newer dated photo of this pair. Source Checked
💡 5 things to know
- Placed by Arneson himselfUC Davis says Arneson positioned the original pair shortly before his death in 1992. Source Checked
- One of five EggheadsYin and Yang is one of five sculptures in the Egghead series, commissioned in 1989 for UC Davis, where Arneson taught from 1962 to 1991. Source Source Checked
- Laid in September 1992The campus paper reported in September 1992 that the newest Eggheads had been laid near the Art Building. Source Checked
- A twin in San FranciscoA reproduction pair cast in 2002 from Arneson’s original molds was installed on San Francisco’s Embarcadero, UC Davis reported in February 2004; the city’s arts commission lists it as bronze with white patina. Source Source Checked
- Acrylic on bronzeUC Davis describes the Egghead series as acrylic-on-bronze sculptures. Source Checked
📍 Where it is
In the front courtyard of the art, music and theatre complex on the UC Davis campus, on a round lawn beside Wright Hall. Source Source Checked
Opens Google Street View facing the sculpture (November 2010 image).
🗓️ Sightings
- 1989
Egghead series commissioned · SF Arts Commission
- 1992Sep
Newest Eggheads laid near the Art Building · The Aggie
- 20046 Feb
Original pair outside the fine arts complex · UC Davis
- 2010Nov
On its lawn by Wright Hall · Street View
Green stamps mark dated photographs; amber stamps mark records or reports; red stamps mark loss. Publication dates are not camera dates.
🗞️ In the sources
“The original Yin and Yang Eggheads sit outside the UC Davis fine arts complex courtyard”
“”Yin and Yang” is one of five sculptures known collectively as the “Egghead” series.”
✅ The facts
🔗 Related
All sources & image credits
- UC Davis News: Reproductions expand visibility of Eggheads to San Francisco (6 Feb 2004)
- UC Davis: Take a Tour, the Eggheads (undated)
- UC Davis Library: Celebrating 30 Years of Eggheads, exhibit (2 Apr – 22 Nov 2024)
- San Francisco Arts Commission: Yin and Yang, Robert Arneson, accession 2003.5
- Google Street View: Wright Hall courtyard, UC Davis (November 2010)
- Image: photographer not named in our source, as published in the Street Art Utopia post; a 16:9 share image was made from it.
Last checked: 3 November 2026. How we verify art