Thornton Dial

Two Proud Tigers are separated by the complex realities of life—a chaotic gulf to be bridged. This gulf appears somewhat literally in a tornado-like swirl of black and white lines separating the tigers from one another. Pride, a daunting obstacle for many of us from getting along and helping one another in times of need. This painting serves as a straightforward cautionary tale and plea for cooperation. It is also unusual as a large-scale example of Dial’s use of oil-based artist paint and an image created without using his typical assemblage elements. It points to the reality that Dial was (in 1991) increasingly considering his identity as artist and exploring new mediums and ways—both experimental and traditional—to cement that identity.