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Out of the Darkness, the Lord Gave Us Light

Thornton Dial American
2003
Not on view
Dominated by shards of black, purple, and blue-green, the fractured surface of this piece suggests the moment of the Big Bang—the beginning of the universe. Many of Dial’s works concern the origin of things. Here, he draws on a line from the Book of Genesis: "And God said, Let there be light: and there was light." In his visualization of this divine moment, the three main colors battle for dominance of the composition. One of the oldest veins of art historical thought proposes God as the first artist—the first creator. Dial imagines his own version of the first "image" ever created, the moment when light appears from nothingness.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Out of the Darkness, the Lord Gave Us Light
  • Artist: Thornton Dial (American, Emelle, Alabama 1928–2016 McCalla, Alabama)
  • Date: 2003
  • Medium: Carpet, cloth, two-part epoxy putty, enamel, and spray paint on canvas on wood
  • Dimensions: 72 1/2 × 74 × 3 in. (184.2 × 188 × 7.6 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Gift of Souls Grown Deep Foundation from the William S. Arnett Collection, 2014
  • Object Number: 2014.548.2
  • Rights and Reproduction: © Estate of Thornton Dial/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
  • Curatorial Department: Modern and Contemporary Art

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Powder Plant, Thornton Dial American, Sheet metal, sawdust, commercial paint, and adhesive on canvas on wood
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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
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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
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Celebration, Thornton Dial American, Graphite, pastel, watercolor, and gouache on paper
Celebration
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9/11: Interrupting the Morning News, Thornton Dial American, Graphite, charcoal, and watercolor wash on paper
9/11: Interrupting the Morning News
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