Thornton Dial is a man of truth – unclaimed by the pretentions of high art, the Alabama-native creates pieces constructed out of everyday objects strewn throughout the home. The truth lies in the message behind his work – simplicity in metaphor, a reconstruction of the civil rights-era racism through the placing of mop strings or scavenged tin. Dial utilizes commonplace, intricately Southern scraps to often depict America’s most glaring realities: racism, war, bigotry and homelessness.

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“What helped me through the tough times was projecting. Everybody was a hater in my mind and it had nothing to do with me. I didn't take any of the tough times personally because I had faith that I would be able to do something undeniable,” said Alim Smith, also known as “YESTERDAYNITE.” Smith is a 29-year-old Delaware artist with a unique perspective. He defines himself as an afro-surrealist, a term coined by activist Amiri Baraka for someone who possess, “skill at creating an entirely different world organically connected to this one ... the Black aesthetic in its actual contemporary and lived life.” He originally caught the attention of the internet through his portrayals of popular internet memes, but now much of his art focuses on black women, black culture, and iconic black figures.

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