A few lazy weekends ago, I had the honor of accompanying a group of fly friends to see “Birth of the Cool”, the Barkley Hendricks retrospective at the Studio Museum in Harlem here in NYC. Hendricks’ life sized works, often depicting his friends and neighbors in the late 60’s and 70’s are a testament to a time often sensationalized in blaxploitation genres and Halloween-time afro-wigs. Much to my dismay it was leaving the museum that week, but recently I managed to pick up the April issue of Art Forum and whose work is on the cover? Baddass Barkley Hendricks. Huey Copeland gives an indepth critical view of the artist and honest review of the show overall. Check it.

Sorry NYC, “Birth of the Cool” has left the apple, but here is the rest of the tour:

May 16-August 22 @ the Santa Monica Museum of Art, California

October 17 – January 3, 2010 @ the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (Philly)

January 30-April 18 @ the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston

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Shown: (left: Gone…Goodnight, 1973, oil, acrylic, and magna on linen canvas, 72” x 72”,  right: Misc. Tyrone (Tyrone Smith), 1976. Oil and magna on linen canvas, 72 x 50 ¼ inches with the artist at far right)

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