The Red & Black — “Vibrant colors swirl on fiberglass material to create one of Athens’ most recognizable art installations: a series of bulldog statues scattered around the city’s most prominent, and sometimes unexpected, locations. Often sporting the University of Georgia’s classic red and black colors, dozens of statues representing the city’s signature mascot can be seen across Athens.
The “We Let The Dawgs Out” exhibit, headed by Julie Walters, was first installed by the Athens-Oconee Junior Women’s Club in 2003. Standing at a height of 4 feet each, there are 39 bulldog statues currently in Athens, serving as a symbol of the city’s collective “creative energy, artistic flair and UGA Bulldog loyalty,” according to Visit Athens GA’s website.
There were 36 original bulldogs in the project, which were painted by prominent local artists such as Stan Mullins, Peter Loose and Chris Wyrick. The exhibit encourages residents and visitors to capture photos each time they discover a new statue.
The statues come in a variety of styles, ranging from the Elvis inspired “Ain’t Nothing But A Hound Dawg” that stands at Southern Surplus Inc. to “Archie,” who was painted by members of the UGA Arch Society and stands outside the Georgia Federal Credit Union.
The Athens Area Humane Society recently acquired a statue of its own. Kelsey Fredriksen, the marketing communications manager at the AAHS, describes the statues as “larger than life.”
“We have the bulldog as one of our symbols of our great city, and to have it all over the city is fun, whimsical and reminds people that there’s a long history of public art,” Fredriksen said. “I think the art really solidifies all the different personalities, people, places in Athens and represents that big mix.” […]
03/22/2025 by Laila Carter
