Family Jules: NNN
Barkley L. Hendricks
(No Naked Niggahs)
1974

This painting struck a cord with me when I saw it placed next to Henri Matisse’s ‘Nu bleu’. With a white female sex slave as the subject matter of Matisse’s painting, it explains and supports Hendricks’ response on wanting to sexualise the black human form. The model in the painting particularly holds the characteristics of a slim conventional black figure: lean limbs and an athletic build. The painting doesn’t include the left lower arm, hand or foot. This gives a sense there may be more yet to come. Such dominance from the model causes a feel of discomfort for the audience. Perhaps this lack of visual conclusion adds to tis discomfort when viewing the painting. The white woman on the scarf gazing at the model could represent the eroticism and arousal that is associated with the naked black form. However, is made more poignant in this example as it is more common for men to be aroused by the female form in paintings, as opposed to white female onlookers.

The wallpaper shows the era in which this painting was meant. A sexual awakening in society in the 1960’s and 1970’s was rife, whereby the topic of sex was more openly talked about. The notion had reached a stage where sex was accepted between couples. However, the divide in society between ethnicities was less forward thinking. Racial prejudices had not been shaken at the same rate.  Below in this painting, exposure to the sexualised black human form was a progressive and modern way of painting in the 1970’s.

https://theartstack.com/artist/barkley-l-hendricks/family-jules-nnn

http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/hendricks-family-jules-nnn-no-naked-niggahs-l02979