Barkley L. Hendricks

Steve
1976

Man in white lab coat and reflective sunglasses stands against a plain background.

On view
Floor 5

Date
1976

Classification
Paintings

Medium
Magna, acrylic, and oil on linen

Dimensions
Overall: 72 × 48in. (182.9 × 121.9 cm)

Accession number
2015.101

Credit line
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase and gift with funds from the Arthur M. Bullowa Bequest by exchange, the Jack E. Chachkes Endowed Purchase Fund, and the Wilfred P. and Rose J. Cohen Purchase Fund

Rights and reproductions
Courtesy the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York

API
artworks/47328

Audio

Barkley Hendricks, Steve, 1976

In Human Interest

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Barkley Hendricks, Steve, 1976

0:00

Melanie Adsit: Take a close look at this character. What can you tell me about him?

Student: This is a successful person that probably used his wits and his intelligence to make his way through life.

Student: In his glasses, in case anybody didn't notice, the city is there. He's looking at the city.

Student: He looks like a calm person. He's always chill. He doesn't have anger issues. He just looks calm.

Melanie Adsit: This was painted by an artist named Barkley Hendricks, who would paint people that he saw in the city. He would just find people that he didn't know walking down the street, and make paintings of them. All that we know about him is that he's name was Steve, but he wasn't anyone that the artist knew. What do you think, about Steve, attracted the artist to him?

Student: I bet that the big attraction was the bold coloring of his fancy robe and pants, which might have made him a spotlight in everyone else's perspective.

Student: What attracted the artist to Steve was that he popped out of the crowd in the city. He wasn't like many other people.