Thornton Dial, Sr., born Emelle, AL 1928-died McCalla, AL 2016 Search this
Medium:
charcoal, graphite, and watercolor on paper
Dimensions:
sheet and image: 22 1/2 in. × 30 in. (57.2 × 76.2 cm)
Type:
Painting
Folk Art
Date:
March 1992
Exhibition Label:
The tiger became Dial’s trademark symbol for African Americans—fierce, nimble, and regal but also feared, maligned, and hunted. Their jungle environment was a metaphor for America, a place as bountiful and beautiful as it was treacherous. Here Dial considers the power of relationships and unlikely alliances. He contrasts the social power and privilege of celebrity with the instincts and ferocity of the tiger, suggesting that each has unique strengths, and that teamwork is the ultimate tool for survival.
(We Are Made of Stories: Self-Taught Artists in the Robson Family Collection, 2022)