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Starting sometime in 2000, a few years after the Arnett family began their work with the quiltmakers of Gee’s Bend, resulting in major touring exhibitions, Dial became involved with the women and their profound history of artmaking. Not only did he visit Gee’s Bend, but he attended the exhibition’s opening in Houston. Through this exposure, Dial forged a cycle of work that can only be seen as a kind of tribute to, or meditation on, these women and their fecund creativity.Having used fabric—including heavy synthetic materials, drapery material, carpeting, upholstery—it was easy for Dial to turn his hand to a series of meditations on the electrifying, freewheeling, downright glorious quilting art of the great women of the Gee’s Bend movement. Dial entirely understood all the understrata of drudgery, emotional conflict, even perversity, that underlie the apparent beauty of the quilts of Gee’s Bend. His quite large cycle of wall-relief constructions spinning off from his experience with these women and their art conveys a world of empathy and tribute. Without for a moment imitating the quilt designs, Dial parallels their essence, transforming certain of their insistent emotional undertones into his own language. Dial composed many of the Gee’s Bend–inspired images in grid-based formats, evoking the essential principles of quilting’s construction while never parroting its literal method of patterning. Dial’s cloth reliefs were clearly made in a spirit of serial experimentation, trying this palette, then another even crazier one, and then an opposite one from that. Dial’s Gee’s Bend works range from the poignantly ethereal to the Baroque-gaudy, and from the gently humorous to the frankly angry. The bitterly demanded perseverance of the women of Gee’s Bend—not just their courage and genius—fully informs Dial’s perception of their collective experience and history. This cycle in his work is as much a prolonged meditation on generations of post-slavery life in southern black communities as it is a reflection on the art of the quilt. And it may not be too much to add that Dial’s lifelong respect for women, and solidarity with their particular cause, finds passionate expression through this particular body of work.

Questions & Answers

What saturation and intensity does "Fading" by Thornton Dial, Jr. show?

"Fading" by Thornton Dial, Jr. is recorded with a muted saturation and a monochromatic intensity.

What is the format of "Fading"?

"Fading" by Thornton Dial, Jr. has a landscape format. The format describes the proportions of the composition.

Is "Fading" by Thornton Dial, Jr. a light or a dark artwork?

"Fading" by Thornton Dial, Jr. is recorded as bright, with a gentle luminance luminance.

Artist Biography

biography and artistic style

thornton dial, jr., a contemporary african-american painter, sculptor, and assemblage artist, was born in 1952 in the united states. he is the eldest son of prolific modern artist thornton dial sr. and has established himself as a significant figure in american art with his bold, evocative political and social commentary.

artistic style and themes

thornton dial jr.'s work is characterized by its use of found materials, often executed on a monumental scale. his subjects range from human rights to natural disasters and current events, reflecting his engagement with the world around him. this approach has led to his works being widely held in american museums, including the metropolitan museum of art, which acquired ten of his works in 2014.

notable works and exhibitions

* strange fruit: channel 42 (251 x 198 cm, souls grown deep, atlanta, united states, assemblage) - a powerful piece depicting a modern-day lynching, utilizing a television antenna as a symbol of the persistence of racial violence. * high and wide (carrying the rats to the man) (193 x 340 cm, souls grown deep, atlanta, united states, assemblage) - a haunting scene of entrapment, recalling the horrors of the african slave trade. * featured in the whitney biennial (2000) and the hard truths exhibition at the indianapolis museum of art (2011), which marked a significant shift in the perception of his work, positioning him as a bonafide contemporary artist.

recognition and legacy

* recognized by art historian and cultural critic joanne cubbs for his first-rate, powerful art. * featured in the wall street journal as one of the best museum shows of 2011, alongside luminaries like degas, picasso, kandinsky, and willem de kooning.

view thornton dial, jr.'s artworks on OriginalUniqueArt
read more about thornton dial's life and work on wikipedia
explore the souls grown deep foundation, dedicated to preserving african american art, on OriginalUniqueArt's museum page

thornton dial, jr.'s work continues to resonate with audiences worldwide, offering a powerful commentary on the human experience.

Thornton Dial, Jr.

1952 - , United States of America

Quick Facts

Full Name: Thornton Dial Jr.
Nationality: American
Date Of Birth: 1952
Place Of Birth: Bessemer, United States of America
Notable Artworks:
- Strange Fruit
- High and Wide
- Memory of the Ladies That Gave Us The Good Life
Artistic Movement Or Style: Assemblage Sculpture
Artists Who Influenced This Artist: ['Thornton Dial Sr.']
Artists Or Movements Influenced By This Artist: ['Pop Art']