Studio ▁Museum ▁in ▁Har lem , ▁and ▁the   National ▁End ow ment ▁for ▁the ▁Arts . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁he ▁produced ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁port ra its ▁of ▁young ▁black ▁men , ▁usually ▁placed ▁against ▁mon och rom atic ▁back dro ps , ▁that ▁captured ▁their ▁self - ass urance ▁and ▁confident ▁sense ▁of ▁style . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁Hend r icks ▁painted ▁What ’ s ▁Go ing ▁On , ▁one ▁of ▁his ▁best - known ▁port ra its , ▁named ▁after ▁Mar vin ▁G aye ' s ▁single ▁What ' s ▁Go ing ▁On . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁Hend r icks ▁was ▁shown ▁most ▁consp ic u ously ▁in ▁a ▁full - front al ▁self - port rait ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁is ▁we aring ▁only ▁sports ▁so cks ▁and ▁s ne akers , ▁some ▁j ew el ry , ▁glass es ▁and ▁a ▁white ▁le ather ▁apple jack ▁hat . ▁He ▁stopped ▁painting ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁to ▁concent rate ▁on ▁phot ography , ▁mainly ▁port ra its ▁of ▁jazz ▁mus icians . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁while ▁travel ing ▁with ▁Whit ney ▁Museum ▁of ▁American ▁Art , ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁primary ▁revel ation ▁in ▁Black ▁Male . ▁ ▁Hend r icks ' ▁first ▁career ▁painting ▁ret ros pective , ▁titled ▁B ark ley ▁L . ▁Hend r icks : ▁B irth ▁of ▁the ▁C ool ,