Name/Title
untitledEntry/Object ID
2014.1Description
A mixed media assemblage created by Vernacular artist, Arthur Dial, brothers with renowned artist, Thornton Dial, Sr. This piece features a figure in elaborate dress, with a black sombrero, green shirt decorated with red dots, and a black cravat. The man's green eyes pop from his dark skin and his pencil thin mustache dances on his face. He is flanked on either side by matching butterflies, cacti, and peacocks. The symmetrical composition is enhanced by spray painted red and blue dots, while a dark brown floor grounds the figure.
Dial used industrial sealing compound to build up the figure and animals on a piece of ¾" plywood. The figure's sombrero is cut from a piece of high pile rug or carpet, and his shirt and pants are pieces of a braided rug stapled to the wood. Dial nailed a plastic frame around his image and painted the work with a thick, concentrated paint.Collection
Southern Vernacular Art CollectionAcquisition
Accession
2014.1Source or Donor
Dr. Armand and Suzanne CognettaAcquisition Method
GiftDimensions
Height
38 inWidth
38 inDepth
2 inInterpretative Labels
Label
Arthur Dial (b.1930)
Arthur Dial was born in rural Alabama where he spent the majority of his life. He held a thirty-seven year career at a company called U.S. Pipe, or as the local community called it, "the Pipe Shop," which influenced many of his artistic choices of material and methods of fabrication. He was inspired by the artistry of his older brother, Thornton Dial, Sr., as well as many other members of his community, and began fabricating various figures including biblical characters and animals out of the materials familiar to him from his job. His work, as he stated, is "a record of what went by," in that his concepts are not meant to encompass archetypal ideas or overarching philosophies, but rather his personal identity as an artist, what's important to him, and his societal context. He has been steadily working on his art since his retirement in the mid-1990s.Created By
admin@catalogit.appCreate Date
August 23, 2013