Created by
Dial, Thornton Sr., American, 1928 - 2016
Date
1990-1999
Medium
cloth, rope, carpeting and paint on plywood
Dimensions
H x W x D: 44 5/16 × 44 5/16 × 1 in. (112.5 × 112.5 × 2.5 cm)
Caption
Thornton Dial Sr. incorporates discarded materials in his work. This assemblage process has a long tradition in the southern United States, including rural Alabama, Dial’s birthplace. He didn’t perceive his early creations as "art," but rather what he referred to as "things." He kept his early work hidden, unsure of public response. Currently, his work is widely celebrated and featured in many exhibitions and museums in the United States and abroad.
Animals often figure in his compositions. For Dial, the tiger is a kind of alter ego, a representation of power, agency, and black men in general, much the way the image of the black panther was used in the 1960s by the Lowndes County (Alabama) Freedom Organization and the Black Panther Party.
Description
This assemblage depicts a striped animal with a long tail. The creature's two front legs are splayed apart, with one stretched out in front and one extended underneath the stomach. The animal's tail is upraised as well as its head, on an elongated neck. Although the animal is viewed from the side, both eyes are on the same visual plane and are visible to the viewer. The animal is barely contained by the square plywood backing; the movement of the limbs is constrained by the borders of the work. The animal is covered in black and white stripes and is outlined in brown. Surrounding the animal is a field of shadowy greens, blacks and browns.
Place made
Bessemer, Jefferson County, Alabama, United States, North and Central America
Classification
Visual Arts
Type
assemblages (sculpture)
Topic
Art
Race discrimination
Race relations
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Calynne and Lou Hill
Object number
2010.64.1
Restrictions & Rights
© Estate of Thornton Dial/Artists Rights Society (ARS)
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd524d93e29-5881-4f9e-a4e4-01ea96898422

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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