In partnership with the Yetunde Price Resource Center, Holding Court is a charity auction of never-before-seen works by the influential African American artist Ernie Barnes (1938-2009).

Featuring four exceptional works acquired from the Barnes Estate, never before publicly exhibited and thus, available at auction for the first time, all the proceeds from Holding Court will go to supporting the work of The Yetunde Price Resource Center: a community-based organization that provides trauma-informed programs and resources to individuals and families affected by violence and systemic oppression, co-founded by Isha Price, Serena Williams and Venus Williams in honor of their late sister, Yetunde Price.

What does it mean to hold court? Once a phrase used to describe the circles of adoring devotees that formed around aristocrats, today holding court carries the possibility of protest. In a world that turns attention into asset, holding court can be an act of defiance—an intentional expression of care not to be wasted on matters trivial.

Holding court can honor the virtuous, the radical, the driven—the likes of artist Ernie Barnes (1938-2009) whose honest and dynamic depictions of the African-American experience are exemplary of his dedication to racial equity, civil rights, and social justice. In partnership with The Yetunde Price Resource Center—a community-focused organisation founded by Isha Price, Serena Williams, and Venus Williams to combat random acts of violence—Holding Court offers up four previously unseen works created by Barnes between 1986 and 2008. 

“Ernie Barnes is an iconic Black artist my family and I have long admired. Through his vibrant imagery, he envisioned a colorful world of harmony between all communities, backgrounds, and races,” said Serena Williams. “Unity and community are two of the most important pillars the Yetunde Price Resource Center stands on, and we are excited to partner with JOOPITER on the Holding Court auction to continue to support families and individuals in need.” 

Barnes’ success is rooted in community, too. Overlooked by the art world for most of his life, the athlete-turned-painter looked to those around him for inspiration and empowerment. He painted female basketball players, boxers suspended in motion mid-fight, runners racing to the finish line, and gymnasts twirling ribbons. They uplifted him in return. His friend Marvin Gaye, whom Barnes met playing basketball, collaborated with him on an album cover for I Want You of Sugar Shack, a masterful depiction of the fluidity of movement, rhythm, and dance. In his domestic representations, also, Barnes focused on shared moments: one painting depicts three women sitting on a sofa deep in conversation, bodies together, holding court. An instance of casual togetherness.

Like Barnes' art, which exemplifies the strength and beauty of collective bonds, the Yetunde Price Resource Center tirelessly strives to create safer communities, free from senseless violence. By working towards trauma prevention and offering support to the families of victims, the organisation embodies the same ideals and principles that Barnes advocated. “I began to see, observe, how blind we are to one another’s humanity,” Barnes once said. “We don’t see into the depths of our interconnection. The gifts, the strength, and potential within other human beings.” In the same vein, the Yetunde Price Resource Center works to bridge the divides between individuals and communities by promoting understanding and shared responsibility.

The parallels between Barnes's mission and the work of YPRC, which coalesce in Holding Court in a multitude of ways, are anything but elusive. “Ernie Barnes’ artwork played a profound role in creating societal change, and we hope this partnership will similarly inspire, uplift, and make a lasting difference in the lives of individuals and the communities we serve,” said Venus Williams.

Holding court is about directing our attention to what matters: empathy, compassion, and collective healing. In today’s world, one that is characterised by unprecedented connectivity yet pervasive detachment, Barnes' art has never been more relevant. His mission was to open our eyes—urging us not just to see but recognise one another; to respect and celebrate one another; to hold court.
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All proceeds from Holding Court will go to supporting the work of the Yetunde Price Resource Center. *


joopiter-ErnieBarnes-launch-catalogue

Holding Court

first self portrait (1968) 8x10 300dpi (ic-side)

In 2022 Ernie Barnes, the celebrated neo-mannerist painter and former professional footballer, set a personal record. His 1976 iconic work, The Sugar Shack, garnered 15.3 million dollars at Christie's auction signaling Barnes as a key figure within American figurative art. Originally commissioned by Marvin Gaye for his seminal album “I Want You” and later recreated with slight variations as a singular wall work the acrylic painting depicts an interior hall, with a mass of stretched, curved, and winding dancing Black people extending their arms towards each others bodies and the rafters above while their legs pivot and grind into the wooden deck below. The scene is vibrant in hue and composition; Barnes saturates the canvas in deep crimsons and marigolds amongst a sea of browns capturing the movement of skin, fabric, and banners and the kinetic tension between them. The attendees—dancers, musicians, observers—are all depicted with closed eyes (another signature marker of Barnes's works), framing presence and pleasure as corporeal. The Sugar Shack was based on a childhood memory describing it as “the first time my innocence met with the sins of dance.” For Barnes, “the painting transmits rhythm so the experience is re-created in the person viewing it. To show that African Americans utilize rhythm as a way of resolving physical tension.” The Sugar Shack would also appear in the opening credits for the television series Good Times, along with other Barnes paintings cementing him in the broader Black American stratosphere as the aesthetic of the 1970s.

with paintings on movie set Number One starring Charlton Heston (1969) 7x10 300dpi (ic)

The Sugar Shack tells the story of Barnes, his career, and the value—culturally and monetarily—of his work. Barnes, who hails from Durham, NC pursued art and football in college at North Carolina College ultimately playing for the NFLwhile maintaining an art practice. When Barnes retired from football in 1965 he turned to painting full time creating a visual vernacular steeped in athleticism, memory, and a Black liberatory figuration. Barnes, sinewy and extended figures, the scenes and positioning of subjects within the canvas frame, in particular his insistence on closing the eyes, and Barnes use of deep and warm tones become the ethos of his work. Barnes noted the essential role sports played in works, noting the advice from his professor the sculptor Ed Wilson who reminded him to “pay attention to what my body felt like in movement...within that elongation, there’s a feeling, an attitude and expression. I hate to think had I not played sports what my work would look like.” Barnes' painterly gestures, attention to movement, and surrealist compositions of the human body has been dubbed neo-mannerist. Neo-mannerist Barnes' relationship to the elongation, asymmetry and compositional tension within his portraits and his interest in depicting Black subjects. As Bridgette R Cooks, art historian and curator of Ernie Barnes: A Retrospective noted “It’s not about trying to hide the curves of your body or the facial features that you have. It’s about showing them, even exaggerating them and making it not even just OK but something to really be celebrated.” Within this framework Barnes was widely collected amongst professional athletes and Black celebrities and was also the official artist of the Los Angeles summer olympics in 1984.

San Diego Chargers (1960-62) No 61 Ernie Barnes 8x10 300dpi (ic)

Ernie Barnes with The Bench painting (c 1966) seated 9x12 300dpi (ic)

However it was in 2019, ten years after his death, that Barnes had his first museum exhibition in California and his work entered into its record breaking epoch. Ernie Barnes: A Retrospective, at the California African American Museum was curated by Cooks and presented over forty works made between 1962 - 2007 most of which were held in private collections and had not been on view. A canonizing moment in the career of Barnes the retrospective signaled the zeal of Barnes work in the border art world with UTA Artist Space curating two exhibitions, Ernie Barnes: Liberating Humanity from Within and Ernie Barnes: Where Music and Soul Lives, in 2020 and 2023 respectively. In a recent interview Cooks noted that while museums were not a part of his career while he was alive, Barnes very much belonged to the Black popular culture and the Black art world which valorized his particular approach to art making and held his work as priceless. Ernie Barnes: A Retrospective highlighted his decades long career, allowing for not only a larger footprint in twenty first century contemporary art history but declared Barnes as part of the vanguard in portraiture.

EB painting corner HFAS 9x12 300dpi (ic-side)

In the four works for auction Barnes characteristic marks, elongated limbs, composition, and subjects are present. Saxophone Study #1 (1993) and Study For Brother To Brother (1994) are two graphite toned studies of figures enraptured in sound and the embrace of each other, respectively. In Holding Court (1986) and Mentors (2008) Barnes paints a seated intimate gathering of three women and a more densely populated scene of suited men in a huddle with kneeled faceless children dawning blue jeans and white t- shirts in the background. Barnes interest in intra community moments, the vibrations of music, and intimacy are all signaled in the closed eyes of his subjects. As he noted, “I began to see, observe, how blind we are to one another's humanity. Blinded by a lot of things that have, perhaps, initiated feelings in that light. We don't see into the depths of our interconnection. The gifts, the strength and potential within other human beings.” Here then is the potential of work to carry from its earliest iterations (the two studies) to fully fledged presentations gesturing towards the many ways connection is made, sustained, and most importantly felt.

Movement and Presence

In a world plagued by senseless violence, organizations that focus on healing become vital in rebuilding communities and fostering hope.

One such organization is the Yetunde Price Resource Centre (YPRC), a non-profit dedicated to combating the effects of trauma and providing support to those in need. Co-founded by Isha Price, Serena Williams, and Venus Williams to honor their late sister, Yetunde Price, the Compton-based organization develops and runs trauma-informed workshops both in California and across the U.S. through collaborative efforts with like minded partners.

At the core of their mission is a commitment to empowerment through what Isha Price describes as a “teach a man to fish” approach, equipping people with the essential tools to help them regain control of their lives and draw strength from their community, family, and self. It’s a technique derived from a holistic understanding of rehabilitation; from the recognition that recovery is a multi-faceted process that must encompass physical, mental, and spiritual wellness. From practical assistance—like identifying resources and access to counselling services—to the therapeutic benefits of art and entrepreneurship, YPRC works tirelessly to ensure individuals and families affected by violence and systemic oppression are supported at every phase of healing.

Now, the YPRC is partnering with JOOPITER on Holding Court, a charity auction of four works by celebrated African American painter Ernie Barnes. The artworks depict people in acts of harmony and togetherness—a saxophonist playing, two brothers embracing—in Barnes’ characteristically bold, emotive style, and all auction proceeds will go to supporting the YPRC. Not only will the partnership enhance the organization's impact through financial support, it will also help ensure the non-profit’s long- term sustainability and the development of additional programs that can benefit the wider community.

Below, Isha Price speaks with JOOPITER about practical aid, community outreach, and holistic methods of healing in the face of violence.

__The Yetunde Price Resource Center focuses on healing, resiliency, and empowerment. Could you elaborate on the strategies or approaches used to facilitate and achieve these outcomes?__

Our focus is, in part, on a comprehensive awareness of healing. Healing occurs in different stages and iterations. Sometimes the initial step is acquiring knowledge and understanding the aftermath of being a victim or experiencing trauma. Often, individuals don't know where to turn or what actions to take. So, we help in identifying and sharing resources—from practical matters to art therapy and counselling services that are tailored to different people’s needs.

__Building on what you’re describing, how do the services you provide address the unique needs of each individual?__

We have collaborated with various facilitators to provide support. For instance, we have built a comprehensive program, in partnership with Best Buy’s teen tech centres, that caters specifically to teenagers. It grants them access to state-of-the-art equipment and emphasises entrepreneurship, healing through learning, and mental health awareness. This program, which is developed by YPRC, is now being utilised nationwide in connection with Best Buy's teen tech centres.

That’s just one example of our targeted approach when it comes to wellness, which covers a range of health awareness topics and actions. We also try to promote resilience by offering programmatic components that help individuals discover their own resilience. For instance, we have previously worked with apartments.com to secure housing for domestic violence victims. Our efforts span a wide range of areas. During Covid-19, we recognized the practical needs of the community, such as food, disinfectants, and antibacterial supplies. The YPRC has a longstanding focus on addressing real-time community needs.

__Why is the work of the YPRC important in today's society? In what ways does it contribute to creating a more trauma-informed and supportive community?__

I think it’s necessary right now because we are seeing more and more people struggle with everyday challenges. It's worth noting that even those who may appear to have resources—people that look like they’re okay—face a learning curve. We’ve seen so many different examples of public figures where everything seems fine on the surface, but in reality they are struggling with physical, mental, and emotional difficulties. The YPRC is ahead of the curve in that it was established based on our own experiences with trauma. However, what we found is that the needs of our sister's children—who were five, nine, and 11 when the tragedy occurred—have evolved over time.

It took us a while to get to a place where we could memorialise and honour their mother. They are adults now and they still struggle with her absence. These challenges are not limited to trauma alone; it can also involve people feeling unheard, crises amplified by social media, economic hardships, and a lack of understanding. And so we think that the work we undertake at our centre and the nationwide programs we develop are super helpful. They are focused on reaching to the core of these issues; to get people talking and relating to one another. Together, we can support one another for the greater good because no one can really do it on their own.

__How will the partnership with JOOPITER help the Yetunde Price Resource Center enhance its impact and increase community outreach?__

We are excited about our partnership with JOOPITER because it allows us to offer up these works. Art has always been a real love for our entire family, and seeing how people express themselves through art has been truly astonishing. Entertainment comes in many forms—and obviously our family is predominantly known for entertainment, particularly with Venus and Serena being the sports icons that they are. But this collaboration with JOOPITER allows us to share our love for art in a way that benefits the wider community. It also helps us sustain our work and create additional programs that can be shared.

Although YPRC is located in Compton, California, we collaborate with many other centres across the nation, specifically in underserved communities. In that way, we can offer the programs we have developed at YPRC, which we consider to be best practices, to support these communities that often lack the necessary resources.


IV.
Ernie Barnes: Holding Court

July 24 - August 1, 2023

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IV.Ernie Barnes: Holding Court

July 24 - August 1, 2023

Sign Up For Updates on This Auction and more

IV.
Ernie Barnes: Holding Court