Items Similar to Ground Level: Slash
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 6
Thornton Dial, Sr.Ground Level: Slash
About the Item
In Thornton Dial's assemblage, masklike faces with staring eyes and open mouths emerge from a dense maze of layers streaked in red, white, blue, and black. Ropes painted brown snake over the surface, twisting into bodies that stretch from one side of the painting to the other. Additional objects have been attached to the surface—a paint-covered metal grill at the top and a wire rack on the right edge, for example—which accentuate the artwork's sculptural appearance. The resulting lattice of colors, forms, and objects gives the impression that, if the artwork's strata were excavated, much more could be discovered.
In many respects, "excavation" is an appropriate way to approach Top of the Line (Steel).By layering paint and objects that Dial collects from around his home in Bessemer, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham, the artist creates a series of evocative relationships. Dial encourages viewers to look closely at the artwork, excavating meaning from the interplay of forms and even from the title, which has several interpretations. For example, "top of the line" refers both to a position in an assembly line and to high quality consumer goods. By including the word "steel," Dial refines his double meaning. Because Dial worked for many years in a factory shaping metal, steel refers to his own experience on "the line." At the same time, "steel" suggests its homonym "steal." The pun seems deliberate because Dial said he made this artwork in response to the 1992 looting that swept Los Angeles after Rodney King, an African American, was beaten by several white police officers.
With these dual references in mind, viewers can guess the multiple meanings behind Dial's work. For example, the figures made of brown rope that appear to hold metal objects can be seen in two ways. On the one hand, they resemble workers passing pieces of steel—as seen in the grill-like forms attached to the artwork's surface—along an assembly line. Alternatively, the figures look like they could be running off with the objects, literally stealing top-of-the-line appliances as horrified faces look on. By encoding these complex meanings in his intertwined layers, Dial makes a disturbing political critique: all these things—industrial labor, consumerism, rioting, and race relations—are, in fact, deeply connected. Speaking generally about his art, Dial said: "I make art that ain't speaking against nobody or for nobody either. Sometimes it be about what is wrong in life."
- Creator:Thornton Dial, Sr. (1928, American)
- Dimensions:Height: 36 in (91.44 cm)Width: 46 in (116.84 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:Atlanta, GA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU155528321302
About the Seller
5.0
Vetted Professional Seller
Every seller passes strict standards for authenticity and reliability
Established in 2008
1stDibs seller since 2021
18 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: 8 hours
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: Atlanta, GA
- Return Policy
Authenticity Guarantee
In the unlikely event there’s an issue with an item’s authenticity, contact us within 1 year for a full refund. DetailsMoney-Back Guarantee
If your item is not as described, is damaged in transit, or does not arrive, contact us within 7 days for a full refund. Details24-Hour Cancellation
You have a 24-hour grace period in which to reconsider your purchase, with no questions asked.Vetted Professional Sellers
Our world-class sellers must adhere to strict standards for service and quality, maintaining the integrity of our listings.Price-Match Guarantee
If you find that a seller listed the same item for a lower price elsewhere, we’ll match it.Trusted Global Delivery
Our best-in-class carrier network provides specialized shipping options worldwide, including custom delivery.More From This Seller
View AllUnnamed
By Thornton Dial, Sr.
Located in Atlanta, GA
Born in Emelle, Alabama in 1928, artistic giant Thornton Dial - who never learned to read or write - rose to the pinnacle of contemporary art history over a thirty year trajectory th...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Impressionist Landscape Paintings
Materials
Mixed Media
$84,500
Philip the II's Crime
Located in Atlanta, GA
You meet the Spanish artist Alexandro Santana and you think, cripes, can he be for real? So handsome, so flamboyant, so seductive, so amusing -- you’...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Impressionist Landscape Paintings
Materials
Oil
Rape on the border, 2007
Located in Atlanta, GA
You meet the Spanish artist Alexandro Santana and you think, cripes, can he be for real? So handsome, so flamboyant, so seductive, so amusing -- you’...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Impressionist Landscape Paintings
Materials
Oil
Ranger Rider
Located in Atlanta, GA
You meet the Spanish artist Alexandro Santana and you think, cripes, can he be for real? So handsome, so flamboyant, so seductive, so amusing -- you’...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Impressionist Landscape Paintings
Materials
Oil
L'automne en forêt
By Adrien SCHULZ
Located in Atlanta, GA
Adrien Schulz was a French painter who was born in 1851. Adrien Schulz's work has been offered at auction multiple times, with realized prices ranging from $60 USD to $2,337 USD, de...
Category
20th Century Abstract Impressionist Landscape Paintings
Materials
Oil
untitle
By Adrien SCHULZ
Located in Atlanta, GA
Adrien Schulz was a French painter who was born in 1851. Adrien Schulz's work has been offered at auction multiple times, with realized prices ranging from $60 USD to $2,337 USD, de...
Category
20th Century Abstract Impressionist Landscape Paintings
Materials
Oil
$10,920
You May Also Like
Psychedelic Abstract Landscape Painting of Urban City Scene by British Artist
By Angela Wakefield
Located in Preston, GB
Colourful Psychedelic Abstract Landscape Painting of Urban City Scene by leading British Urban Artist Angela Wakefield.
This artwork is from an intense body of abstract work that fo...
Category
Early 2000s Abstract Impressionist Abstract Paintings
Materials
Gesso, Acrylic, Mixed Media, Cotton Canvas, Paint, Cotton, Canvas
Psychedelic Abstract Landscape Painting of Urban City Scene by British Artist
By Angela Wakefield
Located in Preston, GB
Colourful Psychedelic Abstract Landscape Painting of Urban City Scene, using bold bright red and primary colours, by leading British Urban Artist Angela Wakefield.
This artwork is f...
Category
Early 2000s Abstract Impressionist Abstract Paintings
Materials
Gesso, Acrylic, Mixed Media, Cotton Canvas, Paint, Cotton, Canvas
Colourful Abstract Yellow Painting of Scottish Highlands by Contemporary Artist
By Angela Wakefield
Located in Preston, GB
Colourful Yellow Abstract Landscape Painting of the Scottish Highlands by British Contemporary Artist, Angela Wakefield. Framed in the highest quality hand-finished off-white mouldin...
Category
2010s Abstract Impressionist Landscape Paintings
Materials
Gesso, Watercolor, Acrylic, Mixed Media, Cotton Canvas, Paint, Canvas
Expressive Abstract Interpretation of an Urban City Scene by British Artist
By Angela Wakefield
Located in Preston, GB
Colourful Expressive Abstract Interpretation of an Urban Landscape City Scene, by leading British Artist Angela Wakefield.
This artwork is from an intense body of abstract work that...
Category
Early 2000s Abstract Impressionist Abstract Paintings
Materials
Gesso, Canvas, Cotton, Paint, Cotton Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Impasto Abstract Landscape Seascape Painting with Pink Red Black & Golden Yellow
By Angela Wakefield
Located in Preston, GB
Impasto Abstract Landscape Seascape Painting with Pink Red Black & Golden Yellow by British Contemporary Artist, Angela Wakefield
Art measures 12 x 8 inches
Frame measures 17 x 13 i...
Category
2010s Abstract Impressionist Landscape Paintings
Materials
Gesso, Paint, Varnish, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic, Board
Abstract Landscape Seascape Painting with Pink & Blue Sky by British Artist
By Angela Wakefield
Located in Preston, GB
Abstract Landscape Seascape Painting with Pink & Blue Sky by Leading British Painter, Angela Wakefield
Art measures 12 x 10 inches
Frame measures ...
Category
2010s Abstract Impressionist Landscape Paintings
Materials
Gesso, Paint, Varnish, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic, Board
