The Sugar Shack 1976

Ernie Barnes made this painting with oils, but I can almost hear the music. It looks like it’s a Saturday night, or maybe Friday—the weekend, for sure—and bodies are caught in mid-motion under the bright lights. I wonder what it was like for Barnes, as a former athlete, to translate his understanding of bodies in motion into the visual language of painting. The elongated necks and exaggerated expressions seem to capture the intense energy and emotion of the scene. That band is jamming, the dancers are caught in a swirl of color and rhythm. The artist’s brushstrokes are so fluid and energetic, and the warm, earthy tones punctuated by flashes of color, create a sense of depth and movement. It reminds me of some of Jacob Lawrence’s work; both artists tap into the pulse of daily life and their communities. The Sugar Shack seems to vibrate with a sense of shared joy and human connection.