Ayé A. Aton Returns to His Earthly Roots
The former percussionist for Sun Ra's band has turned to art in a self-directed inquiry into the visual culture of West and Central Africa.
Robert Underwood, a small-town Kentucky native, found himself far from home in the 1960s as he embarked on a transformative journey with Sun Ra's Arkestra. Rising to become a percussionist, Underwood, now known as Ayé A. Aton, spent seven decades traversing the cosmos and time, delving into the mysteries of outer space and Ancient Egypt under the guidance of Ra's mentorship.
This period of his life was marked by an exploration of visual culture indigenous to West and Central Africa, as well as a departure from Ra's Afrofuturism towards a more historically rooted approach. Aton's artistic endeavors culminated in the exhibition "Aton: Image from the Past," featuring 16 paintings created between 2004 and 2012.
The collection, composed of six works on paper, pays homage to Central and West African masks, rendered in Aton's distinct freeform style. These pieces are characterized by fragmented faces, curving and amorphous shapes set against a backdrop of swirling acrylic marbleization. Surrounding these masks, Aton incorporated patterned shields, reminiscent of the Ngbaka People of the Congo, alongside geometric forms suggestive of the cosmos or figurative shapes that bear resemblance to winged animals and spirits.
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