Thornton Dial

“Beautifully illustrated.” — Carolina Arts & Sciences

“Perfect for those interested in American history, culture, art, and, of course, Thornton Dial.” — Library Journal

“The first critical review of Dial’s art on paper. . . [and] Thornton Dial is an interesting case study about folk art and its respectability.” — Journal of American Culture

“The contributors to this volume make significant contributions to Dial scholarship, offer new interpretations of his work, and add much to the current debate about the concept of the art historical canon. Their essays are original, solid, and knowledgeable and will have an important role in shaping future discussions of Dial’s work.” — Charles Russell, author of Groundwaters: A Century of Art of Self-Taught and Outsider Artists

“This book is filled with fascinating commentary on an artist who is fast earning recognition as one of the art world’s most remarkable voices. Offering important new insights into Dial’s work, as well as a deeper perspective on the cultural politics that have influenced its reception, these essays make a highly valuable contribution to the growing field of scholarship on Dial and his art.” — Joanne Cubbs, organizer of the exhibition Hard Truths: The Art of Thornton Dial and adjunct curator of American art, Indianapolis Museum of Art

“One of America’s most remarkable living artists, Thornton Dial at age eighty-three is increasingly enjoying the recognition that he deserves. Far more than just the visually powerful production of an African American metalworker in Alabama employing a wide range of castoff materials, his works are understood as complex and probing meditations on fundamental human concerns, such as social and political history in the United States, racism, urban/rural dichotomies, industrial pollution, male/female relations, and current events. This book is the first to focus on his impressive body of drawings. Its five essays, drawn from the perspectives of the art historian, artist, folklorist, and curator, define the artist’s work on paper in its interrelationships with his three-dimensional production.” — Ann Percy, editor of James Castle: A Retrospective