United States Artists (USA) announced the recipients of 50 USA Fellowships, including local artist Barkley Hendricks, New London, on November 10th. A USA Fellow demonstrates artistic excellence, unique artistic vision, and significant contributions to their field. The program honors artists at all stages of their careers, from emerging to mid-career to established figures in their fields.
This is the third year of the USA Fellows program, which provides direct support for artists by annually awarding 50 unrestricted grants of $50,000 to artists of all disciplines from across the country. The USA Fellows for 2008 were chosen by panels of experts in each field in recognition of the caliber and impact of their work. The artists were honored in a celebration at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) in Chicago. The complete list of winners can be found at www.unitedstatesartists.org.
Barkley is best known for life-size paintings of African Americans depicted against flat backgrounds of silver or copper leaf. His subjects are usually ordinary people he encounters on the streets and then photographs. The results are empowering portrayals of individuals who seem at once vulnerable and confident.
