Ta-coumba Aiken

Ta-coumba Aiken has applied his artistry to many public projects, including large murals in schools, on grain elevators and along highway fences. His lively work adorns the VocalEssence WITNESS publications and his drawings,  paintings and glass work are in many private collections, restaurants and recording studios. The Minneapolis Central Library commissioned Ta-coumba to create handmade tiles for the fourth floor fireplace. He also has an installation at the Chicago and Lake Metro Transit Station. Mr. Aiken has created set designs for numerous theaters in Minnesota and California. His community art activism includes serving on arts boards for the Minneapolis Arts Commission, Intermedia Arts and as an advisor to the cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.

Workshop Description

The students will be introduced to the music of Hannibal Lokumbe as well as the paintings of Ms. Clementine Hunter. We will look at selected paintings to dissect, examine and determine what elements she uses in her paintings.

The students and I will engage in a dialogue about who created the art, what stories are being told and how she lived and worked. After dissecting Hunter’s art, we will create individual works of art, using oil pastel and canvas. The students’ products will be placed in a collage/quilt-like manner on the floor. They will discuss the similarities and differences between the music by Hannibal Lokumbe and the paintings of Clementine Hunter while viewing the final product.

Timeline

Day One: Explore the art forms of Hannibal Lokumbe and Clementine Hunter. It is my hope that the teachers will introduce both artists to their students before the start of
the residency.

Day Two: A quick review of the first day will take place before we start drawing. We will finish the drawings while listening to the WITNESS Companion CD. The final discussion and discoveries about the art and the experience will occur during the placement of the individual pieces that then becomes the quilt.

To Prepare Your Students

  •  Dsitribute and complete “Profile – Hannibal Lokumbe: Touching Lives Through Music and Education” on p. 66
  • Familiarize students with the work of Clementine Hunter by distributing the student  handout on p. 81