1 cut sent e-m 10-9

2col habitat

Ernie Barnes “Habitat,” acrylic on canvas, 24 by 48 inches.  ©2007 Ernie Barnes

MUST RUN 10/19

ERNIE BARNES WORKS OPEN OCT. 23 AT NYC’S TIME WARNER CENTER w/1 cut

avv/gs set 10/10 #715167

NEW YORK CITY — A tribute to former NFL player and artist Ernie Barnes, “Ernie Barnes: His Art and Inspiration,” opens Tuesday, October 23, in the Great Room at the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle and will be on view through October 29.

The core of the tribute is an exhibition of 20 of Barnes’ most recent artworks, “Liberating Humanity from Within,” in which Barnes seeks to portray moments of transcendence in everyday life. A full-color catalog with an essay by William A. Fagaly of the New Orleans Museum of Art accompanies the exhibition.

The tribute is co-sponsored by Time Warner Inc, the Time Warner Center and the National Football League. The Honorable Jack Kemp, Donna Brazile, Susan Taylor and Brig Ownes are co-chairs of the tribute. Brig Ownes, also heads the Honorary Tribute Committee, which includes the Honorable John Conyers, Jr, June Kelly, Regis Philbin, Penny Fuller, and Kanye West.

Ernest Eugene Barnes, Jr was born in Durham, N.C. He attended North Carolina College (now North Carolina Central University), where he majored in fine arts, devoting considerable time to the study of the human figure. Using his own body as his model, he experimented with limits imposed by his body’s musculature. Later, he was able to enrich his artwork with these insights as well as those gained through his professional football experiences.

In 1960, Barnes was drafted into professional football by the Baltimore Colts as an offensive guard. He later played for the San Diego Chargers (where he and Jack Kemp were teammates) and the Denver Broncos, all the while sketching whenever he could. His work caught the eye of Sonny Werblin, owner of the New York Jets who later became his patron. After having Barnes’ work reviewed by critics, Werblin paid him the equivalent of his football salary to develop his skills as an artist full time, and hosted Barnes’ first solo exhibition at New York’s Grand Central Art Galleries.

Barnes’ work reflects the social realism of his mentor, Charles White, who portrayed the African American experience, and shows an affinity with the portrayals of the American scene by Reginald Marsh, George Bellows, Thomas Hart Benton and Paul Cadmus.”

For general information, www.theshopsatcolumbuscircle.com or 212-823-6300.