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January 20, 2009

Thornton Dial American
2009
Not on view
Featuring a procession of figures and animal-like forms (including a flag-waving turtle), this drawing commemorates the inauguration of President Barack Obama. A striped creature with claws occupies the lower-left corner and stretches into the center of the composition. Its markings identify it as a tiger, an animal Dial adopted in his art as a recurring symbol of various underrepresented groups’ struggles for survival and social justice. The artist’s initials appear near a man’s face with a mustache, suggesting a self-portrait and his imaginary presence at this celebration.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: January 20, 2009
  • Artist: Thornton Dial (American, Emelle, Alabama 1928–2016 McCalla, Alabama)
  • Date: 2009
  • Medium: Graphite, pastel, and coffee on paper
  • Dimensions: 44 1/4 × 30 5/8 in. (112.4 × 77.8 cm)
  • Classification: Drawings
  • Credit Line: Gift of Souls Grown Deep Foundation from the William S. Arnett Collection, 2014
  • Object Number: 2014.548.25
  • Rights and Reproduction: © Estate of Thornton Dial/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
  • Curatorial Department: Modern and Contemporary Art

More Artwork

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Powder Plant, Thornton Dial American, Sheet metal, sawdust, commercial paint, and adhesive on canvas on wood
Powder Plant
Thornton Dial
2013
Victory in Iraq, Thornton Dial American, Mannequin head, barbed wire, steel, clothing, tin, electrical wire, wheels, stuffed animals, toy cars and figurines, plastic spoons, wood, basket, oil, enamel, spray paint and two-part epoxy putty on canvas on wood
Victory in Iraq
Thornton Dial
2004
Out of the Darkness, the Lord Gave Us Light, Thornton Dial American, Carpet, cloth, two-part epoxy putty, enamel, and spray paint on canvas on wood
Out of the Darkness, the Lord Gave Us Light
Thornton Dial
2003
The End of November: The Birds That Didn't Learn How to Fly, Thornton Dial American, Quilt, wire, fabric, and enamel on canvas on wood
The End of November: The Birds That Didn't Learn How to Fly
Thornton Dial
2007
Celebration, Thornton Dial American, Graphite, pastel, watercolor, and gouache on paper
Celebration
Thornton Dial
2004

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