Take a Closer Look at Thornton Dial's "Heaven and Hell on Earth"

Explore Thornton Dial's Heaven and Hell on Earth (1995) through this interactive digital resource. The tool, created by the digital agency Cogapp, offers the viewer an opportunity to slow down and take a closer look at Dial's monumental 3D work. The experience is geared toward users who want to learn at their own pace, whether in the gallery or outside the walls of the museum. As a teaching museum, the tool aligns with the way we educate. This resource encourages discovery that results from slow looking and promotes active learning, as well as independent assessment and reflection.

Begin exploring Heaven and Hell on Earth by clicking on the arrows to advance, or go back, to highlighted areas of the work. These preselected areas provide information about the work, artist, and the found objects that Dial included. The user will also be prompted with open-ended questions that are intended to promote critical thinking and discussion. It is also possible to freely explore the work by using your cursor to slide the work to the left or right. Click anywhere on the painting to zoom in and enlarge. To zoom back out, hold down shift and click anywhere on the image. To see the work more clearly, click on the eye to close the text box, and click again to reopen.

The Hood Museum of Art would like to thank the digital agency Cogapp for their assistance on this project and for creating and sharing their free platform!



Written October 18, 2021