05/25/2026
Dreams. Joy. Struggle. Resilience. Themes on the basketball court and themes in life.
These also come to mind when one views the art of Ernie Barnes (1938 - 2009) … once reviewed in 1965 as “the most expressive painter of sports since George Bellows.”
That is evident in “Study II for The Dream Unfolds,” created in 1996 by Barnes in preparation for a major commission celebrating the 50th anniversary of the National Basketball Association.
We are pleased to welcome this inspiring work and Ernie Barnes to the CMA Collection!
In the background, a figure jumps up toward a basketball hoop in a gesture that feels both athletic and symbolic. Here Barnes uses motion and an elongated figure, both signatures of his neo-mannerist style, to convey reaching beyond one’s circumstances.
In contrast, a grounded female figure watches the soaring motion of the player – bearing witness to a dream unfolding. A wall in the background inscribed with the names of legendary basketball players suggest that the reaching figure is not just playing a game but stepping into a legacy.
Barnes’ own life deeply informs this imagery, as he played professional football in the NFL, an experience that shaped his understanding of the body in motion and the social significance of sport. Barnes is perhaps most widely recognized through his 1976 painting, “The Sugar Shack,” which became a nationally celebrated icon when it was adapted and used as the cover for Marvin Gaye's studio album, “I Want You,” and later added to the end credits of the “Good Times” television series.
Themes in his work center on joy, struggle, memory, and resilience within Black communities. This study for “The Dream Unfolds” reflects those concerns and elevates them for greater understanding of Black culture — a theme significantly absent in mainstream art history.
Image:
Study II for The Dream Unfolds, 1996. Ernie Barnes (1938 - 2009). Graphite and acrylic on paper, 27 x 21 in. Canton Museum of Art Collection | Purchase, 2026.6. © Ernie Barnes Estate. Courtesy of the Ernie Barnes Estate, Ortuzar and Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York. Photo: Dario Lasagni.
