The Gospel Truth 1985

Editor: So, this is Ernie Barnes's "The Gospel Truth" from 1985, oil on canvas. Wow, what an explosion of energy. Everyone’s moving in their own rhythm, like a joyful cacophony! What do you make of it all? Curator: Ah, "The Gospel Truth"! Ernie Barnes captures the spirit so vibrantly, doesn’t he? For me, it sings a story about Black culture, religion, and life lived at full volume. It feels like a personal invitation, almost. It's like the building itself can barely contain the energy within, what with the crooked angles, those elongated necks craning with praise... almost like stretched notes in a jazz solo, wouldn't you say? It's beautifully awkward. It isn't perfect because that's life. Editor: I can definitely feel the energy, but it's almost overwhelming at first glance. Is there a deeper meaning to the figures’ elongated forms? Curator: Ernie used that elongation, what some have described as his signature style, to convey the feeling and energy he felt when he painted. He’d said it was inspired from his days as an athlete; Barnes wanted us to sense the movement, feel the emotion flowing through them! These figures, they're not just worshipping; they’re connecting with something larger than themselves. Do you see how the room pulses with shared joy and catharsis? I believe those distorted bodies contribute so much to this spiritual ecstasy on full display! Editor: I never thought of the influence from sports! Now I get why there is so much movement and emotion in this. So cool. Curator: Yes. It’s the everyday uplifted to the realm of the spiritual. Seeing and feeling a shared space; an unburdening through belief. An image can say more than a thousand words! Editor: This painting has completely shifted my perspective. I came in thinking 'chaotic,' and now I see layers of meaning. The music, the history, the collective joy! Thank you! Curator: And thank you! It is such an electrifying piece that it has the kind of momentum that pulls you into the ecstatic, like getting caught up in the gospel itself!