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Barkley L. Hendricks: Birth
of the Cool, Paintings 1964-2007
May 16 - August 22, 2009
The Santa Monica Museum
of Art presents Barkley L. Hendricks: Birth of the Cool, Paintings 1964-2007,
the renowned American artist's first career retrospective. Highlighting
some of his best-known paintings -- striking, provocative and colorful life-sized
portraits of everyday people of color -- the exhibition opens May 16 and
continues through August 22, 2009.
Bringing to mind American realism, pop culture, Renaissance
portraiture, and post-modernism in a way uniquely his own, Hendricks' pioneering
contributions to American portraiture and conceptualism claim a compelling
space somewhere between portraitists Chuck Close and Alex Katz, and black
conceptualists David Hammons and Adrian Piper. Hendricks' groundbreaking
body of work has both influenced and paved the way for many of today's generation
of artists.
Hendricks' bold portrayal of his subject's attitude and
style elevates the common person to celebrity status. At times cool, at
times confrontational, sometimes sexually charged, and always empowering,
Hendricks' large-scale portraiture reveals the artist's keen eye for his
subject's attire, spirit, and point of view.
While Hendricks has worked in variety of media and has
examined diverse subject matter throughout his distinguished career, the
focus of this exhibition is mainly his important figurative paintings made
during the highly charged 1960s and 70s, when he explored and expressed
themes of personal and cultural identity through iconic, stylish portraits,
some of himself. The show also features lesser-known early works and the
artist's more recent plein air studies of the Jamaican landscape
painted during his annual visits.
Hendricks was born in 1945 in Philadelphia and trained
at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. He earned his bachelor's and
master's in fine arts from Yale University, and has been teaching art at
Connecticut College since 1972. His work is represented in numerous public
collections, including the National Gallery of Art; the Philadelphia Museum
of Art; the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts; the Columbus Museum of Art;
the Chrysler Museum; the Studio Museum in Harlem; the Yale University Art
Gallery, and the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University.
Barkley L. Hendricks: Birth of the Cool, Paintings 1964-2007 originated at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University in 2008,
curated by Trevor Schoonmaker, and then traveled to the Studio Museum in
Harlem. Following SMMoA, it travels to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine
Arts in Philadelphia (October 17, 2009 - January 3, 2010), and concludes
at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (January 30 - April 18, 2010).
The exhibition catalogue focuses primarily on the artist's
full-figure portraits, and includes the most comprehensive bibliography
on Hendricks to date, a timeline of the artist's life, and an interview
with the artist by Thelma Golden, Director and Chief Curator at the Studio
Museum in Harlem. It also includes essays by Barkley L. Hendricks, Duke
University art historian Richard J. Powell, exhibition curator Trevor Schoonmaker,
and Franklin Sirmans, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Menil
Collection. Distributed by Duke University Press. Paperback, 163 illustrations.
Barkley L. Hendricks: Birth of the Cool, Paintings 1964-2007 was organized by the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University.
Checklist
- My Black Nun, 1964
- 11 _ x 7 _ inches (17 1/8 x 12 _ in. framed)
- Oil on Masonite board
- Courtesy of the artist
-
- Self-Portrait, 1966
- 42 x 28 inches (43 x 29 3/8 inches framed)
- Oil on cotton canvas
- Courtesy of the artist
-
- Vertical Hold, 1967
- 47 x 44 inches (no frame)
- Oil, acrylic, and metallic silver on cotton canvas
- Courtesy of the artist
-
- Dippy's Delight, 1969
- 46 inch diameter (no frame)
- Oil and acrylic on canvas
- Collection of Blake Byrne, Los Angeles
-
- FTA, 1968
- 27 _ x 25 inches (27 3/8 x 25 1/8 in. framed)
- Oil on linen canvas
- Collection of Charlotte and Gordon Moore, Cambridge, MA
-
- J.S.B. III (James Sherman Brantley), 1968
- 48 x 34 3/8 inches (48 1/8 x 34 5/8 in. framed)
- Oil on linen canvas
- Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia; gift of Mr. and
Mrs. Richardson Dilworth
-
- Icon for My Man Superman (Superman never save any black people-Bobby
Seale), 1969
- 59 _ x 48 inches (no frame)
- Oil, acrylic, and aluminum leaf on linen canvas
- Courtesy of the artist
-
- Lawdy Mama, 1969
- 53 _ x 36 _ inches (54 _ 36 _ in. framed)
- Oil and gold leaf on linen canvas
- The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York; gift of Stuart Liebman, in memory
of Joseph B. Liebman
- Miss T, 1969
- 66 x 48 inches (67 7/8 x 49 5/8 in. framed)
- Oil and acrylic on linen canvas
- Philadelphia Museum of Art; purchased with the Philadelphia Foundation
Fund, 1970
-
- Brown Sugar Vine, 1970
- 50 x 48 inches (51 _ x 49 5/8 in. framed)
- Oil and acrylic on linen canvas
- Collection of Dr. and Mrs. John T. Williams Sr., Philadelphia
-
- Granada, 1970
- 48 x 46 inches (no frame)
- Oil and acrylic on cotton canvas
- Collection of Dr. and Mrs. John T. Williams Sr., Philadelphia
-
- Dixwell, 1971
- 38 _ inch diameter (no frame)
- Oil and acrylic on linen canvas
- North Carolina Central University Art Museum, Durham, NC
- Down Home Taste, 1971
- 48 _ x 48 5/8 inches (48 _ x 48 _ in. framed)
- Oil and acrylic on linen canvas
- Office of the Dean of Students, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY; gift
of Michael Straight to the Willard Straight Hall
- Art Collection
-
- Sergio, 1972
- 60 x 44 inches (60 7/8 x 44 _ in. framed)
- Oil and acrylic on linen canvas
- Collection of Dr. and Mrs. Robert and Joan Clark, Philadelphia
- Ms. Johnson (Estelle), 1972
- 73 x 50 _ inches (73 3/8 x 51 1/8 inches framed)
- Oil and acrylic on linen canvas
- Gibbes Museum of Art / Carolina Art Association, Charleston, SC
-
- Mayreh (Mary Sheehan), 1973
- 72 _ x 52 inches (no frame)
- Oil and acrylic on linen canvas
- Courtesy of the artist
-
- Dr. Kool, 1973
- 72 _ x 52 _ inches (73 x 53 in. framed)
- Oil and acrylic on linen canvas
- Collection of Dr. and Mrs. Robert Joan Clark, Philadelphia
-
- New Orleans Niggah, 1973
- Oil and acrylic on cotton canvas
- National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center, Wilberforce, OH;
gift of Joseph Erdelac, Cleveland, OH
-
- What's Going On, 1974
- 65 _ x 83 _ inches (66 _ x 84 1/8 in. framed)
- Oil, acrylic, and magna on cotton canvas
- Courtesy of ACA Galleries, New York
-
- Bahsir (Robert Gowens), 1975
- 83 _ x 66 inches (83 3/14 x 66 _ in. framed)
- Oil and acrylic on linen canvas
- Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, Durham, NC; Fund for Acquisitions,
with additional funds given by Jack Neely, 2007
-
- Bedroom Eyes (Self-Portrait), 1975
- 10 x 10 inches (11 7/8 x 11 _ in. framed)
- Oil and acrylic (iridescent) on cotton canvas
- Courtesy of the artist
-
- Blood (Donald Formey), 1975
- 72 x 50 _ inches (no frame)
- Oil and acrylic on cotton canvas
- Collection of Dr. Kenneth Montague / The Wedge Collection, Toronto
-
- North Philly Niggah (William Corbett), 1975
- 72 _ x 48 _ inches (no frame)
- Oil and acrylic on cotton canvas
- Collection of Blake Byrne, Los Angeles
- Take All the Time You Need (Adrienne Hawkins), 1975
- 72 _ x 72 _ inches (no frame)
- Oil on linen canvas
- Collection of David Lamond, San Francisco
-
- Sweet Thang (Lynn Jenkins), 19751976
- 52 1/8 x 52 _ inches (no frame)
- Oil on linen canvas
- Courtesy of the artist
-
- Misc. Tyrone (Tyrone Smith), 1976
- 72 x 50 _ inches (no frame)
- Oil and magna on linen canvas
- Courtesy of the artist
-
- Steve, 1976
- 72 x 48 inches (no frame)
- Oil, acrylic, and magna on linen canvas
- The Forbes Collection, New York
-
- Brilliantly Endowed (Self-Portrait), 1977
- 66 x 48 _ inches (72 x 53 _ in framed)
- Oil and acrylic on linen canvas
- Courtesy of the artist
-
- Doc and Ruby's Oldest Boy (Self-Portrait), 1977
- Oil and acrylic on linen canvas
- Columbus Museum of Art, OH; Museum Purchase, Derby Fund, from the Philip
J. and Suzanne Schiller Collection of American Social Commentary Art 19301970
-
- Slick (Self-Portrait), 1977
- 72 x 48 inches (74 _ x 50 _ in. framed)
- Oil, acrylic, and magna on linen canvas
- Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA; gift of the American Academy and
Institute of Arts and Letters, New York, Childe Hassam Purchase Funds
-
- Sisters (Susan and Toni), 1977
- 66 x 48 _ inches (no frame)
- Oil and acrylic on linen canvas
- Courtesy of the artist
-
- APB's (Afro-Parisian Brothers), 1978
- 72 x 50 inches (no frame)
- Oil and acrylic on linen canvas
- Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, CT; The Janet and Simeon Braguin
Fund
-
- Tequila, 1978
- 60 _ x 50 _ inches (61 x 51 in. framed)
- Oil and acrylic on linen canvas
- The Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, OH; Museum Purchase
1980
-
- Tuff Tony, 1978
- 72 x 48 inches (72 7/8 x 49 in. framed)
- Oil and acrylic on linen canvas
- The Forbes Collection, New York
- Latin from Manhattan the Bronx Actually, 1980
- 66 1/8 X 50 _ inches (68 _ x 52 _ in. framed)
- Oil and acrylic on linen canvas
- Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Miller, Grand Rapids, MI
-
- Icon for Fifi, 1982
- 60 _ x 50 _ inches (60 7/8 x 50 3/8 in. framed)
- Oil and combination leaf on linen canvas
- Courtesy of the artist
-
- Ma Petite Kumquat, 1983
- 72 _ x 40 1/8 inches (no frame)
- Oil, acrylic, white gold, and silver leaf on linen canvas
- Courtesy of the artist
-
- Fela: Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, 2002
- 66 _ x 46 _ inches (60 x 40 inches unframed), with 60 inch altarpiece
- Oil and variegated leaf on linen canvas, wooden frame, altarpiece armature,
27 pairs of painted high heels
- Courtesy of the artist
-
- Lunch with Picasso: Curry Goat for Two, 2003
- 15 _ x 19 _ inches (17 _ x 21 1/8 in. framed)
- Oil, acrylic, and gold variegated leaf on cotton canvas
- Courtesy of the artist
-
- Roaring River Apostle (Serious Smoker Series), 2004
- 72 1/4 x 40 inches framed
- Oil on linen canvas, wooden frame
- Courtesy of the artist
- Black River from the Elgin Road View, 2005
- 16 _ x 28 inches (21 3/8 x 32 7/8 in. framed)
- Oil on linen canvas
-
- Courtesy of the artist
- New Year's Marl Hole, 2007
- 18 _ x 26 _ inches (23 5/8 x 31 3/8 in. framed)
- Oil on linen canvas
- Courtesy of the artist
-
- Alligator's Head, 2005
- 12 x 21 inches (17 x 26 in. framed)
- Oil on linen canvas
- Courtesy of the artist
-
- View from Behind the School, 2000
- 22 inch diameter (29 _ in. diameter framed)
- Oil on linen canvas
- Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, Durham, NC; gift of Mr. and
Mrs. Barkley L. Hendricks
-
- Lyrical View from the Villa, 2005
- 12 x 21 inches (17 x 26 1/8 in. framed)
- Oil on linen canvas
- Courtesy of the artist
-
- Cold Day on the Mountain, 2006
- 17 _ x 27 _ inches (22 1/4 x 32 5/8 in. framed)
- Oil on linen canvas
- Courtesy of the artist
-
- New Year's Day in the Quarry (Marl Hole), 2006
- 18 3/4 x 26 1/2 in
- Oil on linen canvas
- Courtesy of the artist
-
- The Anglican Perspective on January 3rd, 2006
- 14 x 24 inches (19 x 29 in. framed)
- Oil on linen canvas
- Courtesy of the artist
-
- Mustard YS Falls, 2002
- 12 x 21 inches (17 x 26 in. framed)
- Oil on linen canvas
- Courtesy of the artist
-
- Boxing Day in the Quarry #3, 2004
- 16 _ x 28 inches (21_ x 32 7/8 in. framed)
- Oil on linen canvas
- Courtesy of the artist
-
- St. Mary's Blues (Sky), 2006
- 14 x 24 inches (19 x 29 in. framed)
- Oil on linen canvas
- Courtesy of the artist
-
- View from Red Banks School, 2000
- 12 x 21 inches (17 x 26 1/8 in. framed)
- Oil on cotton canvas
- Courtesy of the artist