Ernie Barnes (American, 1938-2009) The Trick Shot, 1983 Acrylic on canvas 29-1/2 x 39-1/2 inches (74.9 x 100.3 cm) Signed lower right: ERNIE BARNES Property from the Collection of John W. Mecom, Jr. PROVENANCE: The artist; Acquired by the present owner from the above. The Trick Shot is included in the forthcoming Ernie Barnes catalogue raisonné. We wish to thank Luz Rodriguez for her assistance cataloguing this work. The Trick Shot exemplifies Ernie Barnes's singular ability to transform scenes of everyday life into moments of heightened drama and resonance. Set within the dim interior of a Southern pool hall, the composition captures a fleeting instant of play and imbues it with theatrical tension. Rendered in Barnes's signature neo-Mannerist style—defined by elongated figures and expressive movement—the scene hums with anticipation. More than a depiction of a game, it is a study in ritual, focus, and shared experience, hallmarks of the artist's enduring vision of American life. At the center of The Trick Shot, a single pool table anchors the composition, its vivid green surface cutting through the room's warm, earthen tones. A player stretches forward, his elongated form arcing across the table as he prepares to execute the titular shot. Barefoot, his boots lie discarded nearby, suggesting both ease and intensity of focus. Around him, a small audience gathers in varied states of attention: one man leans in with quiet intensity, another stands with measured detachment, while at right, a seated guitarist adds a quiet musical presence. Overhead lamps cast a muted glow, illuminating the table while leaving the surrounding space in shadow, heightening the drama of the suspended moment. Barnes animates the scene through a careful orchestration of gesture and environment. The figures' attenuated limbs and taut postures convey both physical precision and emotional charge, reflecting the artist's enduring interest in movement as a vehicle for expression. The worn interior—its smoke-stained walls adorned with hand-painted advertisements and weathered posters—grounds the composition in a specific social reality. Details such as the discarded shoes, the resting dog, and the scattered objects across the wooden floor lend the work a sense of intimacy and authenticity, evoking a space shaped by habit, memory, and communal presence. Largely self-taught before enrolling at North Carolina College in 1956, Barnes would go on to achieve national recognition not only as an artist but also as a professional football player. Yet he consistently identified painting as his primary calling. His work bridges sport, performance, and popular culture, offering a deeply human and dignified vision of Black life. Within this modest setting, Barnes captures more than a game: he reveals the interplay between individual performance and collective presence. The "trick shot" becomes an act of quiet virtuosity, where motion carries expressive and symbolic weight. As in his most celebrated works, Barnes elevates the everyday into something enduring and poetic, transforming the pool hall into a stage where gesture, rhythm, and community converge. The present work comes from the personal collection of John W. Mecom Jr., a close friend and patron of the artist for over 40 years. Having made history as the youngest team owner to win the Indianapolis 500 at age 27, Mecom later became the founding owner of the New Orleans Saints and spent his decades-long career immersed in the world of American sports. HID12401132022 © 2026 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved www.HA.com/TexasAuctioneerLicenseNotice

The artist; Acquired by the present owner from the above.

Condition report available upon request.
Framed Dimensions 49.125 X 39.125 Inches