Ta-coumba T. Aiken

**Ta-coumba T. Aiken** (dem born am 1952, Evanston, Illinois) be painter den public artist wey dey identify ein work as superlative realism. He create over 600 murals den public art works. A mural Aiken design insyd 2013 wey he use over 596,000 Lite Brite pegs dey hold de Guinness World Record for de largest picture dem make of Lite Brite. He sanso teach den curate. Dem sam times dey refer to am as de "mayor of Lowertown" for ein neighborhood presence at ein longtime studio insyd de Lowertown Lofts Artists Cooperative insyd de Lowertown neighborhood insyd downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota.
## Early life
Na dem born Aiken for December 29, 1952, insyd Evanston, Illinois. Na ein mommie be a healer wey she job as a house cleaner. Na ein poppie job as a garbageman wey he bring home damaged paint sets for ein son from stores wey na dem throw dem insyd de trash. Na ein parents be religious wey dem emphasize community, wey dey include make dem dey keep a separate freezer for chow give anybro wey hia am. Ein mommie die for ein 20th birthday, wey he dey view part of ein work as he dey carry for ein legacy of healing.

At de age of three, na he be interested insyd painting, den by age six, he do an exhibit insyd ein kiddie time home ein basement. While insyd high school for Evanston insyd, he attend de International Design Conference insyd Aspen, Colorado. He cam go Minneapolis at de age of 16 for art school wey he graduate from de Minneapolis College of Art and Design plus a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree insyd 1974. He initially intend make he head for Madison ein art scene buh he get lost wey he stop make he buy gas insyd Eau Claire, Wisconsin, wer he biz wer na de nearest town dey plus more Black people. De gas station employee flow am say make he go to Minneapolis. He work at Honeywell insyd Minneapolis as an illustrator. While he work der, na dem invite to de Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture insyd Nigeria, wey dat experience change ein artistic path, wey dey lead am to ein work insyd wat he dey bell superlative realism.
## Work

Aiken dey work insyd paint, canvas, paper, clay, glass, den metal. He work insyd places across Minnesota, wey dey include he create a 1987 mural for a grain elevator insyd Good Thunder Township, a large mural for de syd of de Jax building across from de Union Depot light rail station insyd downtown Saint Paul, dem etch glass for de Capitol River Watershed District, murals for a new apartment building insyd de Rondo neighborhood of Saint Paul, den de ceramic fireplace for de fourth floor of de Minneapolis Central Library.

Insyd 2013, he design a mural dem make of over 596,000 Lite Brite pegs wey na dem assemble by volunteers as part of de Saint Paul Foundation ein Forever Saint Paul Challenge. De finished mural be 12 feet tall den 24 feet long wey e dey on display at Union Depot insyd downtown Saint Paul. E dey remain de world record for de largest picture dem make from Lite Brite.

Insyd 2022, na dem award Aiken a Guggenheim fellowship insyd fine arts after he previously apply for am chaw times. He be Minnesota ein first Black fine arts recipient of a Guggenheim fellowship. Ein work dey insyd de collections of de Walker Art Center, de McKnight Foundation, de Minneapolis Central Library, den Augsburg University, among odas.

### Collaborations
Aiken often dey collaborate plus fellow artist Seitu Jones. Na dem collaborate since 1972 wey dem do chaw murals togeda. Insyd 1992, dem create "Shadows of Spirit," a series of sculptures insyd de form of human silhouettes cast insyd bronze wey na dem embed insyd de Nicollet Mall wide sidewalks as a commission by de City of Minneapolis. Na dem inscribe poetry by Rosemary Soyini Vinelle Guyton for each shadow top. At de time of dema initial installation insyd 1992, na de city no dey allow individuals make dem identify dem insyd art works, so na de public get more difficult time make dem dey connect de sculptures plus de stories of de people behind dem. Dem include seven individuals:

* Nellie Stone Johnson, a union organizer den de first black dem elect official insyd Minneapolis;
* Woo Yee Sing, an early Chinese immigrant to Minneapolis, own a Chinese restaurant off Nicollet at 6th Street;
* a settler of de Bohemian Flats, a low-lying area for de west bank of de Mississippi;
* writer Meridel LeSueur;
* Dred Scott, an African-American man wey na dem enslave wey he sue de Supreme Court for ein freedom den de freedom of ein wifey, Harriet Robinson; den
* Aŋpetu Sapa Wiŋ (Dark Day Woman), a member of de Dakota Tribe, wey according to legend, take ein own life by paddling a canoe over St. Anthony Falls.
Insyd 2019, de two artists, along plus Guyton, develope seven sculptures at de Minneapolis Sculpture Garden dem entitle "Shadows at the Crossroads" wey na dem intend am as an extension of dema 1992 Shadows project.

## Awards den fellowships

* Guggenheim Fellowship insyd Fine Arts, 2022
* Knight Arts Challenge Grant, 2015
* Bush Visual Arts fellowship, 1992
* Gottlieb Fellowship

## References

## External links
* Ta-coumba T. Aiken artist site
* Ta-coumba T. Aiken on Instagram
* Minnesota Original TPT episode