The Georgia Museum of Art is exhibiting Beyond the Bulldog: Jack Davis, a selection of Davis’ original art that demonstrates his breadth of subjects and his skills as an artist focusing on American popular culture.
Organized by guest curator Patrick Dean, a cartoonist who sits on the board of the Jack Davis Foundation, the exhibition goes deeper into Davis’ career than the sports and caricature work for which he is best known, focusing on his black-and-white drawings in particular. The exhibition is on view until Jan. 6.
“The point of the show isn’t to shun his more popular sports drawing, but to bring attention to his work that may not be as well known to the general public,” Dean said. “Visitors may recognize some of these images, but I hope they appreciate the level of detail Davis put into his work. Some of that detail gets lost when the images are shrunk down and printed on paper stock of varying quality. Studying Jack Davis’ crosshatching and brushwork will be a real treat to anyone who’s admired this man’s work.”
Perhaps best known in Georgia for his depictions of Southeastern Conference mascots tussling, Davis has had a lengthy career in illustration and cartooning, with an immediately recognizable style and an influence that extends far beyond his home state. Davis studied with artist Lamar Dodd in UGA’s art school. After graduating, he moved to New York and worked at EC Comics. Famed in particular for his speed and a tendency to create images overflowing with colorful characters, Davis was one of the founding artists of Mad magazine.
