According to Allhiphop.com, Ernie Barnes, the man behind the now legendary artwork seen at the intro of the 1970’s ABC Sitcom Good Times has died of an undisclosed illness.
Reports confirm that Barnes died last Monday (April 27) at the age of 70.
Although a sports star in high school, segregation laws prevented Barnes from admission at Duke and the University of North Carolina.
Instead, Barnes enrolled at North Carolina Central University on a football scholarship while majoring in art.
He went on to play in the AFL league from 1960-1964 with the Redskins, Colts, Chargers, and Broncos.
During his tenure, Barnes remained devoted to art, and in 1971 created his seminal, post-mannerist painting “Sugar Shack.”
The work was prominently featured on the cover of Marvin Gaye’s classic LP I Want You, and in the intro to the popular CBS sitcom Good Times.
Barnes’ use of elongated black dancing figures and vibrant colors became a popular trend in art, and led to many experts crediting him with starting the Neo-Mannerism movement.
“Ernie Barnes is one of the premier figurative artists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. His richly detailed paintings and drawings chronicling the lives of people have made a profound contribution to the contemporary history of American art,” stated Paul Von Blum, Senior Lecturer in African American Studies, Communication Studies, and Art History at University of California, Los Angeles. “His depictions of life for over forty years elevated him to the top rank of African American artists in the United States. His images of dignity, both reflecting and advancing the powerful visions of his mentor Charles White, have solidified his stature in the grand tradition of visual art, a reputation that will serve as a model for younger artists for generations to come.”
Barnes’ work also has had a direct impact on Hip-Hop culture.
In 1997, Bronx rap group Camp Lo utilized the “Sugar Shack” painting as the cover art for their classic debut Uptown Saturday Night.
In 2004, Kanye West commissioned him to create the painting “A Life Restored,” a piece representing the rapper’s near fatal car accident and recovery.
Information from Allhiphop.com contributed to this report.
