By Steven Forster for the Times-Picayune

Artist Willie Birch hosted a walk-through and discussion of “Hard Truths: The Art of Thornton Dial” to packed galleries at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Both Birch’s walk-through and the Dial exhibition address issues related to African-American culture. On view at NOMA until May 20 are more than 40 of Dial’s large-scale paintings, drawings and found-object sculptures, including new works. Susan Larson, Megan Burns, Gina Ferarrar, Tricia Vitrano, Ylva Rouse, Ron Bechet, Michelle Benoit, Aida Fenix, Glen Pitre and Katheryn Laborde were among those present.

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