Posted by | Ray Cornelius
Check out the extraordinary dance interpretation of Ernie Barnes’ iconic painting, “The Maestro.” It was choreographed by my good buddy and dance star Juel D. Lane. The whimsical, mystical and magical video features all kinds of #BlackBoyJoy and was released this week on social media by AfroPunk.
“The Maestro” is a 1978 painting that depicts a black man as a conductor of sounds spilling out of a jukebox style radio. Barnes was one of the country’s most sought after African American artists of the 1970s. His work was featured each week on the classic sitcom Good Times (remember JJ’s paintings). His iconic image of black folks “gettin down” in the “Sugar Shack” was featured on the cover of Marvin Gaye‘s hit record “I Want You.”
“As a black man I’m deeply moved by the language Barnes paints; from the lanky extremities flowing freely in space to a bold sense of culture, color, and pure-ness on the canvas. Now I’m bringing that all to life. It’s really exciting,” said Lane in a statement.
Photo Credit: Instagram/MikeBNote