"movement is what I wanted to capture on canvas."

September 15, 2023 10:36 AM

Millions Saw His Paintings on TV. In the Art World, His Work Still Went Unnoticed: In his lifetime, Ernie Barnes was largely dismissed and ignored by the industry. He became an icon anyway.

“There are a number of folks who will say, ‘Oh, his work has a $15 million price tag on it,’” says Carter. “ ‘Let me pay attention to it.’ And I’m like, ‘Well, Black folks never needed no $15 million to own that work.’

Ernie Barnes Stole the Show at Christie’s With His $15.3 Million Painting. Here Are 3 Things You Might Not Know About ‘The Sugar Shack’

Ernie Barnes: An American Story

Artist's official website

Previously on Mefi

posted by praemunire (12 comments total)

I really enjoyed reading this article - thank you for sharing it! I had never heard of Ernie Barnes before. It was interesting to read about an artist inhabiting their body so intensely for a long time, specifically as a professional athlete, and how that influenced his art. I'm glad to have learned about this.
posted by hepta at 12:21 PM on September 15, 2023 [1 favorite]

That is a great painting.
posted by maxwelton at 1:12 PM on September 15, 2023 [2 favorites]

I really enjoyed this too. Love the painting.
posted by idb at 1:28 PM on September 15, 2023

If you like "The Sugar Shack", you'll probably like the music video for Anderson .Paak's song "Come Down", which brings the painting vividly to life.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 1:36 PM on September 15, 2023 [3 favorites]

I really like this one. Rustic Americana with a spidery kid hooking the ball into an actual peach basket. And in the background is the prototypical Edward Hopper isolated American dwelling...
posted by jim in austin at 2:15 PM on September 15, 2023 [1 favorite]

Addendum: Also has Andrew Wyeth echoes as well. And a large amount of Jacob Lawrence everywhere in his works...
posted by jim in austin at 2:31 PM on September 15, 2023 [2 favorites]

Also has Andrew Wyeth echoes as well

That artist's drab Brandywine look immediately came to mind when I saw The Maestro.
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 4:13 PM on September 15, 2023 [1 favorite]

And let's not forget Thomas Hart Benton...
posted by jim in austin at 6:18 PM on September 15, 2023 [1 favorite]

Yes, modern Benton but he’s also a contemporary of Fernando Botero.

Reading this article it’s obvious that he had a full and wonderful life. The article’s perspective seems to be that this was despite recognition by the establishment, but I’m not completely sure they would have improved anything. He had a living, recognition, and respect. The title really should read “The White Art World.” Their loss, his gain.
posted by q*ben at 6:43 AM on September 16, 2023 [2 favorites]

Thank you so much for posting this: this kind of FPP is a big reason why I've been coming to this site for 20 years. I hope this finds all of you thriving.
posted by ivanthenotsoterrible at 7:59 AM on September 16, 2023

"The Sugar Shack" also reminds me a bit of Archibald Motley (more in mood than in style), especially of "Nightlife", which is one of my favorite paintings at the Art Institute in Chicago.
posted by bassooner at 9:47 AM on September 16, 2023

It’s funny, praemunire, read that artnet article and the painting was bought by a hedge fund manager who is essentially 3rd generation football royalty. It’s probably more complicated than “establishment gives credit to Black artist too late”, though that is certainly part of it, there’s an aspect of how 20th century celebrity has in some cases been converted into dynastic wealth, and auction houses racing to catch up.

In any case, Ernie Barnes deserves to be taught in art history classes and this will perhaps force some hands to get him in the canon.
posted by q*ben at 10:22 AM on September 16, 2023