Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Barkley L. Hendricks, Heart Hands Eyes Mind @ Jack Shainman Gallery



Is it racist to say all straight-on figurative paintings of African-Americans in front of ornate backdrops look like Kehinde Wiley paintings, too me? Now granted Hendricks is older and apparently studied with Walker Evans at Yale and did some naked self-portraiture, which sets him apart from Wiley. It still feels like Wiley has cornered the market on the subject matter. I mean Wiley’s work was shown as a slide show to open for Chris Rock at the Garden and nowadays when your paintings are opening for Chris Rock, it’s hard to argue that you’re not the top of your game. Also Hendricks has some nice street photographs and portraits that at times seem to serve as studies for paintings but often stand on their own as solid photographs.


Through Apr. 6th

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