Shadows of the Field

Thornton Dial American

Not on view

Shadows of the Field evokes an aerial view of the cotton fields once so ubiquitous to the landscape of the southern United States. The piece’s horizontal orientation, emphasized by the wooden planks, recalls rows of cotton plants. Burlap references the sacks used to store cotton by enslaved people as they worked the fields. "Shadows" could refer to the retreat of the sun (which signaled the end of the workday), or to the shadow of slavery and the enslaved individuals themselves, their names lost to history. The wooden slats and cotton batting also bear material resemblance to a mattress; Dial viewed slavery’s place within American history as the bed upon which we all lie.

#2099. Shadows of the Field

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Shadows of the Field, Thornton Dial (American, Emelle, Alabama 1928–2016 McCalla, Alabama), String, twine, synthetic cotton batting, wood, burlap, sheet metal, cloth rags, nails, staples, and enamel on canvas on wood

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Photo: Steve Pitkin/Pitkin Studios

Shadows of the Field, Thornton Dial (American, Emelle, Alabama 1928–2016 McCalla, Alabama), String, twine, synthetic cotton batting, wood, burlap, sheet metal, cloth rags, nails, staples, and enamel on canvas on wood
Shadows of the Field, Thornton Dial (American, Emelle, Alabama 1928–2016 McCalla, Alabama), String, twine, synthetic cotton batting, wood, burlap, sheet metal, cloth rags, nails, staples, and enamel on canvas on wood

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