The play 

Ernie Barnes painted this scene of a group of men outside a building, sometime during his career as an artist and athlete. Barnes grew up in the segregated South during the Jim Crow era. His experiences and beliefs were greatly shaped by his identity and cultural context, and deeply influenced his art, which often portrays scenes from the African American community. The figures in the painting, rendered with elongated limbs, seem engaged in an intense game or contest, full of energy and emotion. Barnes once said "I like to interpret the subject matter of the moment; I don't worry about trends." He captures the vitality and spirit of these men, presenting an alternative narrative of black life, one filled with exuberance and community. This work invites us to reflect on the ways in which communities find joy and connection amidst social and political challenges, and how identity and culture shapes personal expression.