Hendricks, Barkley
1945-2017 · Contribution: 1960s-2017
Portrait painting; bold, life-size portraits of everyday Black subjects rendered with cool elegance against flat, often monochrome backgrounds, blending realism with Color Field influences
Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.
Impact on the world
A pioneer of contemporary Black portraiture whose stylish, self-possessed sitters helped redefine how Black subjects were represented in fine art, influencing later painters such as Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald.
Life & background
African-American painter born Barkley L. Hendricks on April 16, 1945 in Philadelphia, PA. Studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and Yale (BFA and MFA). Longtime professor at Connecticut College. Died April 18, 2017.
Sources
- Jack Shainman Gallery; Nasher Museum of Art (Duke)
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