Barkley L. Hendricks

Father, Son, and...

In the late 1960s, Barkley Hendricks diverted from his practice in portraiture when he produced his Basketball Paintings series. One of these paintings, Father, Son, and …, recalls Christian iconography through its aesthetic and title.

In this work, three basketball hoops and their backboards are seen together as one. The changing shadow of the basketball hoop suggests a progression of time. Removed of human presence, including that of a basketball, the triptych hints at an otherworldly quality. Through the elevation of an everyday sports subject, the work implies a sublime connection between humans and a greater transcendental force.