The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 18, 2025

Dexter Davis and Shadowman

2016

Herbert Ascherman

(American, b. 1947)
America
gelatin silver print
Image: 40.6 x 50.8 cm (16 x 20 in.)
Gift of Herbert Ascherman Jr. 2022.118
Location: Not on view

Did You Know?

Since the 2010s, an actor dressed in a dark bodysuit as Shadowman (and in other costumes as other characters) has shown up at various events in Cleveland.

Description

In Herbert Ascherman’s portrait of two Cleveland artists, Shadowman sits on a bench on the terrace of the Cleveland Museum of Art beside Dexter Davis, who holds his woodblock print Face (c. 2000). In addition to having art in the museum’s collection, Davis has worked at the museum as a guard for many years. Shadowman prefers to keep his identity a mystery.
  • 2016–22
    Herbert Ascherman, Jr. [1947-] (the artist), Beachwood, OH, given to The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
    September 12, 2022-
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • {{cite web|title=Dexter Davis and Shadowman|url=false|author=Herbert Ascherman|year=2016|access-date=18 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2022.118