Ayé A. Aton's Late Paintings Showcased in 'Image from the Past' Exhibition

The exhibition titled 'Ayé A. Aton: Image from the Past' showcases 16 paintings by the artist formerly known as Robert Underwood, created between 2004 and 2012. In his youth during the 1960s, Underwood departed from his small Kentucky hometown to become a protégé of Sun Ra, later playing percussion for Ra's Arkestra. In 2016, he returned as Ayé A. Aton. Over the span of seven decades, Aton delved into themes of outer space and Ancient Egypt under Ra's guidance before shifting his focus to art, investigating the visual culture of West and Central Africa. His later work reflects a deeper exploration of African heritage, moving away from Ra's Afrofuturism to embrace a more historically informed perspective. The exhibition features a vibrant selection of six works on paper that evoke Central or West African masks, characterized by fragmented faces and swirling marbleized acrylic backgrounds, alongside elements like patterned shields in 'Ngbaka People of the Congo' (2012) and cosmic or winged shapes. This display underscores Aton's distinctive blend of African visual traditions and cosmic themes.