Group 3 Summary

Group Members: Brandon, Osato, Esther, Imari

Our project was centered around Barkley L. Hendricks and Jordan Casteel. Labelled 'A Black Celebration' it showed the artists' work that honored African American men and women. The artists both worked on oil paintings, featured someone they know, and played with gaze. Apart from that, they both played with nudity. Casteel is quoted saying, "I have found that clothing on a black male body can, in fact, create a distraction for a viewer in that it comes with so many assumptions about race, class, and culture."

Barkley L Hendricks is considered one of the most distinguished alumni of the Pennsylvania Academy of fine Arts and an important voice in the history of American figurative art. He was born in April 16, 1945 and died April 18, 2017. He taught as an arts and crafts teacher with the Philadelphia Department of Recreation before he died. His work is featured in major museum collections such as the National Gallery of Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Studio Museum in Harlem. He showcased under- represented blacks of the 1960s and 70s. His goal was to represent them as proud and dignified. Although many believed his pieces to be political, he claims they were not. 

   Jordan Casteel is also an American figurative painter. She is 30 years old. She graduated from Yale University with an MFA in 2014.  It was only in 2015 that she decided to dedicate herself more to her paintings and express the humanity in black people. She says that her aim is to make the observer understand the meaning of being black in the U.S. Additionally, she teaches at the Rutgers University. Her work explores the ideas of identity, sexuality, and also humanity. Her work is featured in museums such as the Denver Art museum, Sargent's daughters, the Studio museum, etc.

The work we chose to portray individually:

Lawdy Mama by Barkley Hendricks- This piece is of Hendricks' cousin. It was painted in 1969. He painted her in the form of a byzantine icon, which is an idol. This was also considered political but Hendricks said he was simply portraying his cousin.

Birth of the cool (Mayreh) by Barkley Hendricks- This piece was done in 1973.It Features fashion, attitude, and energy in the 70s. He described her eyes as "compelling, hypnotic, and beautiful."








Mom by Jordan Casteel- This piece is based on her mother. She did it to portray the strength of a woman.


Hamilton Cousins by Jordan Casteel- This was painted in 2015. It was a part of the 'Returnignt he gaze' series. Jordan explained that it has to do with a lack of companionship and community int he modern age.