
Hard Truths
The Art of Thornton Dial
Prestel (Publisher)
Published on 11. February 2010
Book
Hardback
240 pages
978-3-7913-5058-5 (ISBN)
Description
Born in poverty in Alabama, Dial has lived his entire life in the American South, and his art, informed by decades of struggle as a black working-class man, reveals a unique perspective on America's most difficult and pervasive challenges, such as its long history of race and class conflict, the war in Iraq, and the 9/11 tragedy. This monograph includes reproductions of 70 of Dial's large-scale paintings, drawings and found object sculptures spanning twenty years of his artistic career. Drawing inspiration from the rich symbolic world of the black rural South and with no formal education, Dial has developed a truly distinctive and original style. Incorporating salvaged objects in his work-from plastic grave flowers and children's toys to cow skulls and goat carcasses-he creates highly charged assemblages combined with turbulent fields of expressionistic painting. With commentary from historian David Driskell, cultural critic Greg Tate, and art historian Joanne Cubbs, this volume brings long-overdue recognition to Dial's remarkable career and offers audiences an unprecedented look into the creative world of this important artist.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Munich
Germany
Illustrations
10
140 farbige Abbildungen, 10 s/w Abbildungen
150 Illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 31 cm
Width: 29 cm
ISBN-13
978-3-7913-5058-5 (9783791350585)
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
JOANNE CUBBS is Adjunct Curator of American Art at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. DAVID C. DRISKELL is regarded as one of the world's leading authorities on African American art and has written numerous books on the subject. EUGENE W. METCALF is Professor of American Studies at Miami University. GREG TATE is a renowned cultural critic whose writing has appeared in The Village Voice, Rolling Stone, The Washington Post, Artforum and other journals.