Art

PRESS ROOM: CAAM Presents Exhibition On The Life And Art Of Ernie Barnes

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The California African American Museum (CAAM) announced today that it will present an exhibition that examines the life, art, and popularity of Ernie Barnes.

Published

4 years ago

May 20, 2019

Amanda Scurlock

By Sentinel News Service

The California African American Museum (CAAM) announced today that it will present an exhibition that examines the life, art, and popularity of Ernie Barnes, who created some of the twentieth century’s most iconic images of African American life. Ernie Barnes: A Retrospective will be on display from May 8–September 8, 2019.

George O. Davis, Executive Director of CAAM said, “We are honored to present the work of Ernie Barnes and to tell the fascinating life story of this artist and athlete. He was a child of the segregated south who came to call Los Angeles home.”

For fans of 1970s American television, Ernie Barnes’s (1938–2009) painting The Sugar Shack is likely familiar. The 1976 work depicting a dance scene—which was the cover art for Marvin Gaye’s album I Want You—achieved cult status by regularly appearing on the hit sitcom Good Times, inspiring a community of television viewers who discussed it after each episode.

Known for his unique “neo-mannerist” approach of presenting figures through elongated forms, he captured his observations of life growing up in North Carolina, playing professional football in the NFL (1960–1964), and living in Los Angeles. Ernie Barnes: A Retrospective includes examples of his paintings of entertainment and music, and also highlights how Barnes, the official artist of the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, extensively represented athletes and sports.

“While not widely known within the mainstream art world, Barnes is revered by a diverse group of collectors and admirers across the country,” said guest curator Bridget R. Cooks, Associate Professor of African American Studies and Art History at the University of California, Irvine. Ernie Barnes: A Retrospective is curated by Cooks with assistance from Vida L Brown, Visual Arts Curator and Program Manager. The Pasadena Museum of California Art originated the exhibition.

About the Artist

Ernie Barnes was born July 15, 1938 in Durham, North Carolina during the height of the Jim Crow Era. He lived in a section of the city called “The Bottom” with his parents and younger brother, James. His father, Ernest Barnes, Sr. was a shipping clerk for Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company. His mother, Fannie Geer, supervised the household for a prominent attorney who shared his extensive art book collection with the young “June” Barnes.

Bullied as a child for being shy and sensitive, Barnes found solace in drawing. In his freshman year, a weightlifting coach put Barnes on a fitness program, which taught him effort and discipline. By his senior year at segregated Hillside High School in Durham, Barnes was captain of the football team and state champion in the shot put. He earned a full athletic scholarship to North Carolina College (now North Carolina Central University) where his art instructor, sculptor Ed Wilson, encouraged him to create images from his own life experiences

In 1960, Barnes was one of thirty African Americans drafted into the National Football League, one of nine players selected that year from a Historically Black College and University. For five seasons, Barnes was an offensive lineman for the New York Titans, San Diego Chargers, and Denver Broncos. In 1965 New York Jets owner Sonny Werblin paid Barnes a season’s salary “to paint” and subsequently sponsored the first Ernie Barnes gallery exhibition. After the success of the show, Barnes retired from football at age twenty-eight and settled in Los Angeles to devote himself to art.

From his sports experience and the study of anatomy, Barnes’ unique style of elongation captures the movement, energy, and grace of his subjects. This earned him numerous awards, including “Sports Artist of the 1984 Olympic Games” and “2004 America’s Best Painter of Sports” from the American Sport Art Museum & Archives.He was commissioned to paint artwork for the National Basketball Association, Los Angeles Lakers, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Oakland Raiders, educational institutions, corporations, musicians, celebrities, and professional athletes. His beloved painting, “The Bench,” which Barnes created in 1959 before his rookie season, was presented in 2014 to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

His pride of North Carolina is evident in his artwork of pool halls, barbershops, porch ladies, church, street singers, sandlot games, and other memories of growing up in the South. His commentary on dance, music, sports, women, education, social justice, and everyday life continue to inspire viewers of all ages, races, religions, educational levels, and social statuses.

Barnes died of cancer on April 27, 2009.

Related Programs:

Friday, June 7, 2019 | 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Curatorial Walkthrough: Bridget R. Cooks

Tour Ernie Barnes: A Retrospectivewith guest curator Bridget R. Cooks, Associate Professor, Departments of African American Studies and Department of Art History at the University of California, Irvine. Cooks will offer an in-depth look at the exhibition, which features paintings, drawings, and ephemera from Barnes’s life.

Thursday, June 13, 2019 | 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Marvin Gaye-Oke

Get ready for a Marvin Gaye–themed karaoke night celebrating the life and work of the late Ernie Barnes, led by soul singer Torrénce Brannon-reese!This night of song is presented in conjunction with Ernie Barnes: A Retrospective,which includes Barnes’s famous painting The Sugar Shack, which was featured on the cover of Gaye’s I Want You album.

About the California African American Museum
CAAM explores the art, history, and culture of African Americans, with an emphasis on California and the West. Chartered by the State of California in 1977, the Museum began formal operations in 1981 and is a state-supported agency and a Smithsonian Affiliate. In addition to presenting exhibitions and public programs, CAAM houses a permanent collection of more than four thousand works of art, artifacts, and historical documents, and a publicly accessible research library containing more than twenty thousand volumes.

Visitor Information
Admission to the California African American Museum is free. Visit caamuseum.org for current exhibition and program information or call 213-744-7432 for tours or additional assistance.

Hours: Tuesday–Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Closed Mondays and national holidays. The California African American Museum is located in Exposition Park at the corner of Figueroa Street and Exposition Boulevard, west of the 110 (Harbor) Freeway. Easy parking is available for $12 (cash only) at 39^thand Figueroa Streets. The Metro Expo line stop Expo Park/USC is a five-minute walk through the Exposition Park Rose Garden to the Museum.

This article originally appeared in the Los Angeles Sentinel.

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Art

Oakland Celebrates Hiero Day 2023, Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop

Thousands of music fans showed up at Oscar Grant Plaza Monday, Sept. 4 to celebrate the 11th annual Hiero Day block party and commemorate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, featuring the Souls of Mischief, Oakland native Kev Choice, Mister F.A.B. and a special guest appearance by Common.

Published

2 days ago

September 27, 2023

Oakland Post

Common was honored on Hiero Day at by Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Deputy Mayor Kimberly Mayfield. Photo courtesy of Ariel Nava.

By Post Staff

Thousands of music fans showed up at Oscar Grant Plaza Monday, Sept. 4 to celebrate the 11^th annual Hiero Day block party and commemorate the 50^th anniversary of hip-hop, featuring the Souls of Mischief, Oakland native Kev Choice, Mister F.A.B. and a special guest appearance by Common.

Hosted by the City of Oakland and Mayor Sheng Thao, the free event showcased over 30 live performances on three stages, including legendary, underground and undiscovered performers of hip-hop, R&B and other genres.

Souls of Mischief is part of the rap collective Hieroglyphics, which founded Hiero Day and this year celebrated its 30^th anniversary.

“HIERO DAY (is) a driving force in the music festival culture in Oakland,” according to event organizers. “The event is widely regarded as a day to celebrate independent hip-hop music and serves as a Labor Day destination being one of the largest hip-hop music gatherings in the Bay Area.”

The event was held at Jack London Square last year, but this year, it moved to the plaza in front of Oakland City Hall, reflecting its new connection with the Mayor’s Office and the City of Oakland.

“I’m so grateful to be here in Oakland,” said Common said after receiving a “heavyweight champion” belt and proclamation from Mayor Thao. “Y’all inspired us … The music, the culture — Hieroglyphics influenced me.”

Said Mayor Thao: “Oakland is the heart of the Bay Area’s music, art and culture scene, and I am so grateful for all the work our Hiero Day organizers did to celebrate it.”

The City of Oakland this year is hosting three events to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of hip-hop, including the collaboration with event organizers of Hiero Day. A special event was held on Sept. 10 to honor “50 years of women rooted in hip-hop,” including Pam the Funkstress, the Conscious Daughters, Traci Bartlow, and Mystic and Black.

Art

Thornton Dial: A Visionary Artist Ahead of His Time

Published

2 months ago

July 26, 2023

Oakland Post

Thornton Dial. Wikimedia photo.

By Tamara Shiloh

Thornton Dial, a pioneering American artist, left an indelible mark on the art world with his expressive and monumental works. Born on Sept. 10, 1928, in Emelle, Alabama, Dial’s artistic journey began in the late 1980s when he gained prominence for his assemblages of found materials, executed on a grand scale. His works encompass a wide range of subjects, from human rights to natural disasters and current events, reflecting a deep engagement with history and social issues.

Growing up in poverty on a former cotton plantation, Dial was raised by his teenage mother, Mattie Bell. It was his time spent with his second cousin, Buddy Jake Dial, a farmer and sculptor, that ignited his passion for art. Dial’s early experiences of witnessing the art created from everyday objects in people’s yards during his move to Bessemer, Alabama, fascinated him and instilled in him a deep appreciation for craft and creativity.

For many years, Dial worked as a metalworker at the Pullman Standard Plant in Bessemer, Alabama, until its closure in 1981. It was after this that he dedicated himself to his art, creating works for his own pleasure and self-expression.

He encountered Lonnie Holley, an artist who introduced Dial to Atlanta collector and art historian William Arnett. Arnett played a pivotal role in bringing Dial’s work to national prominence, along with other African American vernacular artists, through his efforts as an art historian and the founder of the Souls Grown Deep Foundation.

Dial’s work gained recognition in major cultural institutions and exhibitions, including the 2000 Whitney Biennial. His art resonated with viewers, addressing American sociopolitical issues such as war, racism, bigotry, and homelessness.

Through his assemblages, Dial incorporated a wide array of found materials, creating layered and textured compositions. His use of objects like bones, rope, and scrap metal added depth and symbolism to his works, reflecting the history and struggles of the rural South.

The tiger motif became a prominent symbol in Dial’s art, representing survival and the struggle for civil rights in the United States. Over time, Dial’s work began to be acknowledged as “first-rate, powerful Art” by critics such as Karen Wilkin of The Wall Street Journal. Dial’s unique artistic vision and his ability to merge materials into captivating and meaningful compositions led to his recognition as a contemporary artist.

Dial’s work can be found in notable collections worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where ten of his works were acquired in 2014. He passed away in 2016, but his legacy lives on, inspiring artists and viewers alike to explore the transformative power of art.

Thornton Dial’s contributions to the art world, his commitment to expressing social issues, and his ability to create captivating compositions from found materials cement his position as a visionary artist ahead of his time.

Source: https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/dial-thornton-1928-2016/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thornton_Dial

Image:

By copyright Jerry Siegel – Original publication: Garden & GunImmediate source: http://gardenandgun.com/article/thornton-dial, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49514861

Art

Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) Receives IMLS Grant to Expand its MoAD in the Classroom Program

The Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) in San Francisco has recently been awarded one of 34 Museum Grants for African American History and Culture from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and was one of only two organizations to receive the full $500,000 award amount this year.

Published

2 months ago

July 19, 2023

Oakland Post

As one of the only museums in the world that exclusively celebrates the art and history of the African Diaspora, MoAD is uniquely positioned to respond to the San Francisco Unified School District’s expected 2023-2024 roll out of a newly-created and pioneering Black Studies Curriculum as well as new mandates from the California Department of Education that require classroom teachers to incorporate art into core subjects.

By Nina Sazevich

The two-year grant will support the expansion of the Museum’s acclaimed MoAD in the Classroom (MIC) educational outreach program, an arts-based, visual literacy, and cultural studies program for underserved third and fourth-grade public school students and their teachers in the San Francisco Bay Area.

In the majority of school districts across the state of California, only 10% to 25% of students engage in some form of arts education, which research has shown significantly supports student academic achievement and student success toward high school graduation. Without dedicated art teachers on staff however, many educators are without the training and resources to teach the arts.

The IMLS grant allows MoAD to rapidly create and expand high quality digital content to expand the program beyond the Museum’s local geographic area while continuing to support and serve the approximately 1,500 students and teachers currently participating each year.

These digital assets, accessed through a portal on the Museum’s website, will support teachers with extensive lesson plans, instructional videos, and virtual 360-degree exhibition tours, potentially reaching thousands of additional students in California and beyond each year.

The funding also allows the Museum to pilot an expansion to support students and teachers in grades 5-10 and extend its reach through a partnership with the San Francisco Public Library.

“Art education provides a means for self-expression, cultivates cultural pride, and unleashes the creative potential within every child,” says Demetri Broxton, senior director of education at MoAD. “Yet, students of color in lower-income neighborhoods have the least access to it. MoAD in the Classroom and the grant from IMLS addresses this disparity, ensuring that the arts flourish as an integral part of education, enabling every student to thrive and help shape a brighter future for all.”

“IMLS is proud to support museums and cultural organizations doing important work to increase access to the stories of inspiring people, events, and experiences, at the center of African American history,” said IMLS Director Crosby Kemper. “Our Museum Grants for African American History and Culture demonstrate the commitment to preservation and promoting education of the rich cultural heritage across this country.”

Nina Sazevich is the media relations director for MoAD.