Thornton Dial

You need to know about this pioneering artist who made his fame at 60. 

This is some of the greatest art in the world of the 21st century.

Jane Fonda

And it asks all of us about genius.

Dr. Alvia Wardlaw

Thornton Dial had been making art his whole life. As a kid in 1930s Alabama, he entertained himself by making toys out of cans and other bits of junk.

“Did you go to school?” “No” “Did you learn to read and write?” “No” “None of that” “No” “But you know how to be an artist.”

Thornton worked as a steelworker, and his professional skills fed into his sculptures and assemblages. He was a family man, and much of his work commemorates his wife and children. 

And that’s where all the folk used to flock at over there when they were singing. [Singing]

At the age of 60, Thornton was discovered by an enthusiastic collector and his work was catapulted onto the international stage. The media tried to belittle his reputation, but in the end, his monumental legacy reigned.