Sankofa - Tell the Story
May 14, 2024 | Kristin
The Kansas African American Museum (TKAAM) and Harvester Arts are proud to announce Sankofa - Tell the Story, a community project including a large temporary mural at TKAAM’s new location, 201 N Main, and a museum exhibition in their current space, 601 N Water.
This community focused project is designed to bridge the past, present, and future of the Kansas African American Museum in Wichita, KS.
The mural will be installed starting the week of May 13, with a completion date and museum exhibition opening scheduled for the end of May 2024. This collaboration between TKAAM and Harvester Arts serves to provide a broader sense of pride in the community through the arts, history, education and culture.
Visit
Join us in reflecting on the connection between all of our pasts, presents, and futures.
Mural
The Sankofa mural will be available for public viewing starting May 15, 2024 at 201 N. Main.
Exhibition
The Sankofa exhibition will be available for public viewing starting May 15, 2024 at 601 N. Water.
Community reception
The entire community is invited to a reception at TKAAM – 601 N. Water, on June 13, 2024 from 5 to 7 p.m. to see the exhibition and share stories with the creative and community team that made this pivotal project possible.
For more information, visit www.tkaamuseum.org and www.harvesterarts.org.
Additional information
The project, initially pitched by Harvester Arts Executive Director, Kristin Beal, and visiting artist Aaron Asis, originated as a collaboration to facilitate conversation and showcase the history of TKAAM, while celebrating the words of the TKAAM community at this moment — honor the past, celebrate the present and forward to the future — as the museum transitions to its new home.
“Storytelling is the foundation of African and African American culture! This mural project provides imagery, statements, and Adinkra symbols that encourage the entire community to join in with their own stories! Shared stories provide a conduit to better understanding, thus a deeper connection that enhances our lives!” TKAAM Executive Director Denise Sherman said.
“Our communities all have histories and our lives each have stories. These are shared truths that align us and Sankofa encourages us to ‘go back and get it’ — to look to the past to inform the future. We hope this work inspires us to better appreciate the importance of history and story — to help us celebrate this collective moment of transition, into a shared new future,” Harvester Arts visiting artist Aaron Asis said.
Sankofa is an expression in the Twi language of Ghana whose literal translation means, “to go back and get it.” The phrase evokes the past as a teaching tool: in order to find our way forward, we must look to our past to inform the future.
TKAAM and Harvester Arts invite visitors to the mural and exhibition to engage in Sankofa by viewing the mural and images of the past included in the exhibition and ask themselves the following questions: “What is your story? What is your future?”
Sankofa Sponsors include: The Ulrich Museum of Art, Sedgwick County, The City of Wichita Arts & Culture and several generous donors who wish to remain anonymous.
The Kansas African American Museum endeavors to make the Kansas African American experience resonant with EVERY Kansan. The vision of the Kansas African American Museum is to be the premier place where the communities come to learn about or tell the Kansas African American story.
Harvester Arts launched in 2014 with the mission to build the creative capacity of the community through arts experimentation, public arts projects, artist residencies, and professional development for artists. To learn more, visit www.harvesterarts.org.
Tags: Community, Exhibitions