Ernie Barnes was a celebrated American artist, athlete, and cultural icon known for his distinctive figurative style that captured the rhythm and soul of Black life in America. Born in Durham, North Carolina, in 1938, Barnes excelled in both art and athletics, ultimately playing professional football in the AFL before dedicating himself fully to painting. A self-described “neo-mannerist,” Barnes developed a signature aesthetic featuring elongated forms and dynamic movement, most famously seen in his iconic work The Sugar Shack, which gained national attention through appearances on the television show Good Times and Marvin Gaye’s I Want You album cover.

Barnes’s art reflected themes of community, faith, sport, and struggle, often drawing from his lived experience as a Black man in mid-20th century America. His paintings have been exhibited in major institutions including the California African American Museum and the North Carolina Museum of History, and his work continues to inspire new generations across the realms of art, sports, and culture. Through his unique ability to blend motion with emotion, Ernie Barnes left a legacy that transcends canvas and continues to resonate as a powerful expression of identity and humanity.