Yesterday
me and my best friend Cam went to check out the Ernie Barnes exhibit
over at the CAAM. Seeing his art in person made me want to paint. I
was also surprised by how large most of them were. I just stood there
staring at his art wondering what it is like to create art the way he
does and look at the world through his eyes. His most well known
painting is The Sugar Shack but there were dozens more that were
equally impressive. This exhibit had bad advertising. I had no idea
it had been there since May and thankfully got to see this in person
since tomorrow is its last day.
For
many fans of 1970s American television, Ernie Barnes’ (1938–2009)
painting The Sugar Shack is no doubt instantly 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.
