The Sugar Shack is a 1976 painting by Ernie Barnes of a packed dance hall, bodies stretched and swaying to the music. Barnes based it on a childhood memory of sneaking into a dance at the Durham Armory in North Carolina. It became famous on the closing credits of Good Times and on Marvin Gaye's 1976 album I Want You.
It is one of the most recognized images in Black art, and one of the most requested prints in our gallery. Here is the story behind it. You can own the image as an Ernie Barnes Sugar Shack print.
Key takeaways
- Painted in 1976 by Ernie Barnes, based on a Durham childhood memory.
- Seen in the Good Times closing credits and on Marvin Gaye's I Want You cover.
- A version sold at Christie's in 2022 for about $15.3 million.
- Barnes' elongated figures express motion and feeling.
- The image remains a centerpiece for home bars, dens and music rooms.
Who Ernie Barnes was
Ernie Barnes (1938–2009) was born in Durham, North Carolina. He played professional football before becoming a full-time artist, and built a four-decade career in Los Angeles. His paintings reflect memories of African American life in the segregated South, and his athletes and dancers move with the energy of someone who knew the body in motion.
What the painting shows
The Sugar Shack is a crowded dance hall at full volume: dancers lean and stretch, a band plays on a raised stage, banners hang from the ceiling. Many figures have their eyes closed, a choice Barnes used often to suggest people lost in the moment. The effect is joy, release and community.
Good Times and Marvin Gaye
The painting reached millions of homes through the closing credits of the TV series Good Times, where it was presented as the work of the character J.J. A version also appeared on the cover of Marvin Gaye's 1976 album I Want You. Together they made the image part of American popular culture.
The 2022 auction
In May 2022, The Sugar Shack sold at Christie's New York for about $15.3 million against an estimate of $150,000 to $200,000. The sale set a record for Barnes and brought new attention to Black artists in the art market.
Hanging the print at home
The scene's warm browns and golds suit dark wood frames or slim black frames with a cream mat. It works over a home bar, in a den or music room, or anywhere people gather. Every print bought from us earns 25% off custom framing.
Why Barnes painted closed eyes
Barnes often painted his figures with closed eyes. He spoke of it as a reflection of how blind people can be to one another's humanity. In The Sugar Shack, the closed eyes also suggest dancers lost in the music.
Barnes the athlete
Barnes played professional football before turning to art full time, and his understanding of the body in motion shows in every stretched limb. Sports remained a subject throughout his career.
A painting that inspired other artists
The Sugar Shack inspired a generation of artists. John Holyfield has said a Barnes print seen on Good Times inspired him to become an artist.
Frequently asked questions
Why is The Sugar Shack painting famous?
Its appearance in the Good Times credits and on Marvin Gaye's I Want You album made it one of the most widely seen works of Black art.
Where is the original Sugar Shack?
The version sold in 2022 went to a private collector. Barnes is known to have painted more than one version.
Is the Sugar Shack print a limited edition?
Check the product listing for the edition details of the print in stock.
See it in person
Visit ATL Collectibles & Custom Framing on Level 2 of The Mall at Stonecrest, or order the Ernie Barnes Sugar Shack print. For more music art, see our Black jazz art prints.
