Violins of Hope – Art Project

Thornton Dial (1928-2016) Artist Thornton Dial worked with everyday materials to create paintings and assemblages that drew critical admiration and comparisons to Jackson Pollock. 

The damage to this flag is immediately apparent The damage to this flag is immediately apparent. Bits of fabric —“bloody rags on a war-torn battlefield” — form a twisted version of the U.S. flag. Dial created this piece in 2003 at the outset of the Iraq War, and it is “conscious of the horror of an unchecked quest for domination and power.” The flag, though, forms only one layer of the painting. Beneath it are mattress coils, along with two figures, one black and one white. The mattress coils form “a metaphor for the hard bed we’ve made for ourselves.” The piece —especially its optimistic title —reflects the idea that all U.S. citizens are held together by the flag, however shredded it becomes. It’s a lovely but simple statement on the importance of getting along. “Don’t Matter How Raggly The Flag, It Still Got To Tie Us Together” (2003)

Some have thought this piece was a self-portrait of Dial. At the center of the painting: a half-buzzard, half-American eagle figure, downtrodden and bloated. Constructed from a background of paint cans, split open to form the shape of stars or fireworks, the painting positions the central figure (in a greenish hue) reminiscent of the Statue of Liberty, presides over the canvas. While the color scheme is cheerful, the paint-can edges are razor sharp, giving the work a menacing cast. Some have thought this piece was a self-portrait of Dial. By 2004, when Dial created this piece, he had gained fairly widespread recognition in the art world. The positioning of the figure, along with the materials used to create it, speak to Dial’s reaction to that success and the struggle to gain it. Stars of Everything (2004) Paint cans, plastic cans, spray paint cans, clothing, wood, steel, carpet, plastic straws, rope, oil, enamel, spray paint, and Splash Zone compound on canvas on wood.

“Beginning of Life in the Yellow Jungle” (2003) One of the most overt musings on the metaphysical that Dial created. This analysis comes in part from the painting’s emphasis on living things; scraps of floral fabrics, artificial plants and soda bottles form the shapes of vegetation, surrounding the figure of a doll. That doll could be interpreted to represent humanity at its birth. This is Dial’s sort of rapturous vision of how we all came into being. Dial used a lush blend of yellow tones in the piece, ones that he has used before to symbolize racial equality. Through those colors, “He wants to represent the coming together of the races, coming together of all humanity, a kind of blending.” “Beginning of Life in the Yellow Jungle” (2003)

“Green Pastures — The Birds That Didn’t Learn How to Fly” (2008) The painting is a historical heartbreak. One of a series, it shows figures of birds constructed from work gloves hanging on a line, a reference to the historical atrocities that people of color have endured in the U.S. In the background is a green, enigmatic field of color. That along with the piece’s title, makes reference to Psalm 23:2, which speaks of comfort and relief from suffering in “green pastures” - a Biblical reference to the world beyond physical and historical adversity, and the final place of redemption for those who suffer oppression in this world. The figures could also be interpreted as a “statement about lost potential.” “Green Pastures — The Birds That Didn’t Learn How to Fly” (2008)

Remembering The Road (1998) Enamel, Tin, Rope, Carpet, Cloth, Vinyl, & Wire on Wood

African Jungle Picture

Each class will receive: Wooden Pallet (measures 4 ft. square) Sandpaper (mixed pack) Violin (wooden) Acrylic Paints (12 colors, pint each) Brushes (assorted sizes) There are only 6 violins featured in the book, with a 7th in the Epilogue.

Artwork Requirements Use the palate and the violin for the piece. Violin may be used in whole or in parts. Artwork should reflect impressions on the Holocaust and/or the Violins of Hope Students should write a short piece describing their creation. Include School Name and Artists Names. Art piece will need to be brought to the Student Culminating Event. Please let us know if you need assistance with this.