Rewrite 1981

Ernie Barnes made "Rewrite" with oil paints on canvas to create this dynamic composition. See how Barnes has exploited the fluidity of oil paint, layering it to build up the figures' forms and the rich, dark background? It's a world away from the slick surfaces we often see in painting today. The viscous texture, along with the earth-toned palette, suggests the manual labor of writing and editing, the very work being scrutinized here. Look at the green, clunky typewriter, a machine that translates thought into text. Barnes elevates the everyday, turning the creative grind into a subject worthy of attention. By using the tools of painting, he draws our focus to the labor involved, reminding us that art, like writing, is a process of making, not just thinking.