Name/Title
Big Black Bear Trying to SurviveEntry/Object ID
2009.1.1Description
Big Black Bear Trying to Survive is typical of the large sculptural assemblages Thornton Dial, Sr. was creating in the 1990s. These works are intricate, thoughtful compositions always contain a message, often dealing with race and inequality in America and male-female relationships. These large-scale works are created with items Dial would find in his yard or in the trash. Dial liked to create his artwork with materials others have thrown away. Big Black Bear Trying to Survive is composed of various scrap metal, carpets, and trash bags and depicts a large black bear laying on its side intently staring out at the viewer. The Gadsden Arts Center exhibited this work in the exhibition, Vernacular Art from the Hill Collection, August 28 - October 25, 2009.Collection
Southern Vernacular Art CollectionAcquisition
Accession
2009.1Source or Donor
Lou and Calynne HillAcquisition Method
GiftMade/Created
Artist Information
Artist
Dial, Thornton Sr.Role
ArtistDate made
1993Dimensions
Height
40-1/4 inWidth
62 inDepth
4 inInterpretative Labels
Label
Thornton Dial, Sr. (1928-2016)
Thornton Dial, Sr. is the most famous vernacular artist from the Southeast, whose work has shattered the art world's notion of "folk" and "outsider" art. Although Dial has never had any education or art training and is from a rural town in Alabama, his work touches on themes of racial inequality, struggles in a modern world, and relationships between men and women, themes that resonate with audiences around the world.Created By
admin@catalogit.appCreate Date
July 7, 2009