Thornton Dial, Sr.
Unnamed

About the Item

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 that began as he approached 60 years of age. He died in 2016 at the age of 87. 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:
Mixed Media
Movement & Style:
Abstract Impressionist
Period:
21st Century
Condition:
Gallery Location:
ATLANTA, GA
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU155528335082
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