BARNES was a former NFL lineman whose passion was for painting. I love this piece above for all the emotion and movement he described in the bodies.
BARNES was also the consummate humanist. BARNES said that he never painted any subjects with their eyes open because, “We don’t ever see each other, we are blind to each other’s humanity.”
This explains why I just got that C&D letter for posting the cover to Sadat X’s last album.
As a yute, I always thought that JJ actually painted those pieces. It was later in my Jr. High years that my art teacher, Ms. Lane put me onto Ernie Barnes. Definitely one of the inspirations that helped develop my graff hand. That along with tracing Master of Kung Fu comics and going through 5 copies of Subway Art. Rest in peace.
wa??? when?? yo d hit me up… dam as a artist he was one uv the 1’s that had me open as much byrne. r.i.p to one uv the greatsist that ever done it.salute!!!
we use to have this photo in our den when I was little; Brings back good memories 🙂
damn, you enlightened me on this one. never really was up ernie barnes. nice post. my boy mario used to do like 90’s versions of a lot of his joints but i never knew the source.