Typology and Geography of Outdoor Sculpture in Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

The use and distribution of outdoor sculpture across the States of Southwestern Nigeria is phenomenal. The spread, aptly suggest depth, steady rate of practice and the public acceptability of the works as objects of environmental beautification and commemoration. As rich as the art is in the practice and history, apart from isolated studies of few scholars on the subject, there is paucity of information on archetype and the geographical spread of the art which is constantly affected by poor management and devastating socio-political and religious crises, the study therefore became imperative now for a comprehensive art historical record of the nation’s nascent art. The study appraises the outdoor sculpture in Southwest of Nigeria briefly and focuses on the type and geographical spread in order to determine their provenance and document them vis-à-vis their respective locations. The study covers the period of the emergence of outdoor sculpture in Nigeria since 1900 up to 2005 when a decline in the art was noticed.

Keywords: Art, Beautification, Civic-instruction, Environmental, Geography, Outdoor Sculpture