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Life and Death of the Moonshine Man

Thornton Dial Jr.: Bold assemblage artist tackling social & political issues through monumental works. Exploring race, history & nature – see his powerful art.

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Dial was born in 1928, one year prior to the stock market crash that signaled the beginning of the Great Depression in the United States. Prior to that time, prohibition, officially instituted by the Eighteenth Amendment in 1919, had given birth to an underground infrastructure of alcohol producers whose industry grew and prospered in a difficult time. This ad hoc economy lasted fourteen years, ending with the passage of the Twenty-first Amendment in 1933. Sixty-eight years after the repeal of prohibition, Dial stumbled on the remnants of an old still buried under a trash pile in a patch of forest near his home in Bessemer, Alabama. In this work, Dial resurrects the remnants of that old still, transforming its components and other found objects into a looming and contorted human figure. The scraggly figure is shaped out of old piping from the still and metal rings, used to hold whiskey barrels together. Dial has used a mop to shape the man’s head and outfitted him with work gloves. He is surrounded by stuffed animals, mostly bears, hinting at the moonshiner’s workplace in the forest, hidden from the authorities. This figure memorializes an era that has come and gone and honors the hardworking moonshiners who found a way to survive during the world’s most comprehensive economic depression.

Artist Biography

biography and artistic style

thornton dial, jr., a contemporary african-american painter, sculptor, and assemblage artist, was born in 1952 in the united states. he is the eldest son of prolific modern artist thornton dial sr. and has established himself as a significant figure in american art with his bold, evocative political and social commentary.

artistic style and themes

thornton dial jr.'s work is characterized by its use of found materials, often executed on a monumental scale. his subjects range from human rights to natural disasters and current events, reflecting his engagement with the world around him. this approach has led to his works being widely held in american museums, including the metropolitan museum of art, which acquired ten of his works in 2014.

notable works and exhibitions

* strange fruit: channel 42 (251 x 198 cm, souls grown deep, atlanta, united states, assemblage) - a powerful piece depicting a modern-day lynching, utilizing a television antenna as a symbol of the persistence of racial violence. * high and wide (carrying the rats to the man) (193 x 340 cm, souls grown deep, atlanta, united states, assemblage) - a haunting scene of entrapment, recalling the horrors of the african slave trade. * featured in the whitney biennial (2000) and the hard truths exhibition at the indianapolis museum of art (2011), which marked a significant shift in the perception of his work, positioning him as a bonafide contemporary artist.

recognition and legacy

* recognized by art historian and cultural critic joanne cubbs for his first-rate, powerful art. * featured in the wall street journal as one of the best museum shows of 2011, alongside luminaries like degas, picasso, kandinsky, and willem de kooning. thornton dial, jr.'s work continues to resonate with audiences worldwide, offering a powerful commentary on the human experience.
thornton dial, jr.

thornton dial, jr.

1952 - , United States of America

Quick Facts

  • Artistic Movement Or Style: Assemblage Sculpture
  • Artists Or Movements Influenced By This Artist: ['Pop Art']
  • Artists Who Influenced This Artist: ['Thornton Dial Sr.']
  • Date Of Birth: 1952
  • Full Name: Thornton Dial Jr.
  • Nationality: American
  • Notable Artworks:
    • Strange Fruit
    • High and Wide
    • Memory of the Ladies That Gave Us The Good Life
  • Place Of Birth: Bessemer, United States