Critical Essay on the art of Ernie Barnes

Ernie Barnes was one of America’s leading African-American artists. He is widely known by his paintings that were seen on the sitcom, “Good Times”. Through Neo-Mannerism, the various theories of creativity can be seen. In this essay, Barnes’ paintings, “High Aspirations,” “Sugar Shack,” and “The Gospel Truth” will be explored to show how he used Neo-Mannerism and Genre paintings to express the Humanistic, Psychoanalytic, and Behavioristic, Theories of Creativity.

Ernie Barnes was an African-American painter who was said to be the pioneer of Neo-Mannerism. Neo-Mannerism is a 20th century link to the Mannerism style of painting of the 16th century. Barnes applied Mannerist ideologies and methods to the subjects of 20th century life. “His two principle subjects are those he has himself experienced intimately: athletics, both scholastic and professional, and the small-town ethnic life of the American South, into which he was born. Both those themes are presented in Barnes’ paintings at moments of high intensity, which is itself one more link between his Neo-Mannerism and the Mannerism of the 16th century Europeans,” (Getlein).

According to Abraham Maslow, the originator of the Humanistic Theory of Creativity, there are three categories of creativity. They are primary creativity, secondary creativity, and integrated creativity. Primary creativity is “creativity which proceeds from the primary processes, as does psychoanalytic theory, but Maslow includes cognitive and conative processes in addition to the Dionysian drive of the id,” (Bergquist). Secondary creativity “results from the use of higher thought processes… It takes over the creative process from primary creativity and adds to its analysis, discipline and hard work,” (Bergquist). Integrated creativity blends primary and secondary creativity and from the blend of primary and secondary creativity, comes great works of art, philosophy, and science. “This creative integration is also characteristic of the lives of self-actualized, healthy human beings. Integrated creativity in the arts appears to inhabit the same territory Carl Jung described as “visionary art”,” (Bergquist).

All of Barnes’ work exhibits all three categories of the Humanistic Theory of Creativity. In his paintings, he shows everyday life where everyday people are shown with grace and as heroes while they live their humble lives. He breaks down traditional barriers of class and position to uncover the noble refinement of regular people in different circumstances. Barnes shows himself to be a true artist of the humanist theory. He surpasses his own personal fate and begins to speak for mankind. One of Barnes’ early masterpieces, “High Aspirations” depicts a single African-American young man dunking a basketball into a homemade basketball goal. The goal is made out of a peach basket with the bottom broken out of it and the pole is extremely long, it seems to go on forever. There is a wooden house in the background of the painting. The young man appears to be in an isolated place, practicing his dunk. The young man has jumped exceptionally high in the air to reach the goal. “The pale yellow sky, with its hints of pale green, emphasizes the desolation of the setting. In that setting -- in a sense out of it -- the young solitary player leaps in the air and stretches his arm well beyond the anatomical possibilities to "slam-dunk" the ball into the basket,” (Getlein). The young man obtains his “high aspiration” by making the dunk. With the extended arm, the dropping of the ball is exaggerated exquisitely. This painting shows the characteristics of Mannerism. It shows the elongated body and limbs, the twisting line of the body as it stretches to reach for the basket, and “the purity of the austere colors of the whole scene; and the use of space for purpose of isolation and hence intensification of the figure and its effort and feeling,” (Getlein). Barnes shows sports as a way out of poverty for ethnic young men in this painting.

While this painting shows elements of the Humanist Theory of Creativity, it also shows elements of the Psychoanalytic Theory of Creativity. Carl Jung, a noted psychologist in the field of psychology states that there are two categories of artist creativity, which are psychological art and visionary art. Carlisle Bergquist writes, “psychoanalytic theory seems best able to explain psychological art and creative acts where the incentive is not the act itself, but rather relief from pain, anxiety, or sexual tension,” (Bergquist). Barnes’ “High Aspiration” shows a need to get out of poverty, which exhibits a need for relief from the pain and anxiety of everyday life.

“Sugar Shack,” one of Barnes’ most recognizable paintings, has been seen by millions of people who watched “Good Times,” a 1970s sitcom. The title of the painting comes from a black jazz club that was founded in New Orleans. The painting depicts a large group of African-Americans partying, dancing, and enjoying themselves at this busy hotspot. The structure of the club is made up of straight vertical and horizontal lines; while the staircase is made up of diagonal lines. These straight lines are in contrast to the curves and movement of the people in the jazz club. The people are the ones moving, not the club.

The movement of the people in the club comprises some elaborate actions, poses, and movements. The curves of the saxophone are shown in comparison to the curves of the man playing that same saxophone. The curves of the singer and his microphone send a message that the singer is totally consumed by the song he is singing. The sultry curves of the dancers display the sexuality of the scene. More curves are seen in the motions of the guitar player and the man playing the air guitar just beneath him. All the people are made up of curves and angles while the building, the lighting, and the signs are made up of lines. These curves and lines are shown against the dimness of the whole scene. These elements make this painting an excellent example of creativity and skillful composition.

The club is the place to be and Barnes shows this quite well. This painting illustrates a fusion of Neo-Mannerism and Genre painting. The ordinary people dancing in the club is an example of Genre painting. The precise lighting and intricate postures of the exaggerated figures are examples of Mannerism. “ “Sugar Shack” effortlessly combines the two heritages in Neo-Mannerist Genre painting,” (Getlein).

The Behavioristic Theory of Creativity can be seen in “Sugar Shack.” “Sublimated libidinal drives do not explain all the dimensions of creativity; however, sexuality in some form appears in many explanations of creative behavior even if only in metaphor,” (Bergquist). Sexuality is seen all throughout “Sugar Shack.” The exaggerated curves of the women’s breasts, hips, and thighs demonstrate the sexuality of the women in the painting. One woman has her dressed lifted up to her hips, almost showing her womanly nature. There are several men in the painting who are dancing very closely to the women in the painting. The men appear to be thrusting their manhood towards the women in a very provocative manner. This painting could have been a typical Saturday night in the life of Barnes. J. B. Watson, a Behavioristic psychologist believed that a person’s social environment conditioned their personality and their behavior. These images of sexuality, coupled with elements of alcohol, show the Behavioristic Theory of Creativity.

While “Sugar Shack” depicted a Saturday night in the life of African-Americans, Barnes’ painting, “The Gospel Truth,” portrays the religious life of African-Americans. The painting shows the interior of a church. There are more than 60 people in the painting. There is a band, a choir, a preacher, and a woman in white, which immediately draw the viewer’s attention. As the painting is further studied, the other members of the congregation are seen. There are people who have been slain in the spirit. There are people who are crying and expressing themselves to God. There are people with raised arms, giving praise and worship to God as well. The people, who were in the club the night before, are now in the church. “Those in the church the next morning are similarly moved out of themselves into a higher mode of perception, but now by the Word of God and its reception in their individual and communal souls,” (Getlein). Barnes skillfully shows the nature of religion in the African-American experience. It is an event of exuberant activities that show a strong sense of the Holy Spirit. Frank Getlein states, “The whole scene reminds the White churchgoer that Christianity started out as a religion of joy,” (Getlein).

The painting, “The Gospel Truth” shows elements of the Humanistic Theory of Creativity. The painting shows human nature as a conscious, autonomous, self-actualizing, wholesome process. Humanistic psychology conveys completeness to the human being. This painting shows Gestalt psychology of the perception of the whole. Max Wertheimer articulates this about Gestalt psychology, “the process moves from one unstable or unsatisfactory situation (S1) to one of greater stability and thereby forms a new gestalt (S2) which includes the resolution of tension,” (Bergquist). Barnes takes the people of “Sugar Shack” and integrates them in with the churchgoing people of the community, showing that all people love God; creating a group of people who share a common interest, glorifying the God they love.

“The inner strength of Ernie Barnes's unique combination of Mannerist and Genre painting comes from the fact that he did not consciously set out to copy either one. He devised his own Neo-Mannerism out of his own all-but-unique among artists knowledge of the experience of competitive athletics. And he painted Genre subjects not because he wanted to paint Genre pictures, but because the subjects were realities he had known all his life or was newly getting acquainted with. Like all original art, the art of Ernie Barnes has sprung from the artist's encounter with life, not from his contemplation of art,” (Getlein).

Barnes’ paintings have inspired, entertained, encouraged, and moved millions since he began painting. His paintings have been seen on television, at the Olympics, and in movies. He has painted famous athletes, as well as, Rocky, the character made famous by Sylvester Stallone. Barnes makes us feel what he has painted. We reached with the young man to obtain “High Aspirations.” We understand the sexual movement of the people in the “Sugar Shack.” We celebrate the New Life shown in “The Gospel Truth.”

Ernie Barnes is indeed a great creative figure of our time. His paintings exhibited elements of the various theories of creativity; Humanistic, Behaviorist, and Psychoanalytic; his art work makes for an excellent study of creativity. Getlein states it this way, “All these motions, all these bodies, all these colors and shapes, become for a moment, ourselves. Art cannot give us more,” (Getlein).

Works Cited

Bergquist, Carlisle. "A Comparative View of Creativity Theories." A Comparative View of Creativity Theories: Psychoanalytic, Behavioristic, and Humanistic. Vantage Quest, n.d. Web. 9 June 2014. <http://www.vantagequest.org/trees/comparative.htm#.U5oxcSjiiM0>.

Getlein, Frank. "A Critical Perspective on the Art of Ernie Barnes." Frank Getlein Review. ErnieBarnes.com, n.d. Web. 9 June 2014. <http://www.erniebarnes.com/PressReleases/getleinreview.html>.

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