THE NIGERIA-BIAFRA WAR AS A CREATIVE RESOURCE FOR THE PAINTER

THE NIGERIA-BIAFRA WAR AS A CREATIVE RESOURCE FOR THE PAINTER

ABSTRACT

The Nigeria-Biafra War which is one of the most remarkable events in the history of Nigeria due to the sophisticated weaponry, suffering, death, genocide, starvation and hunger that were perpetrated during the war has continued to receive scholarly attention over the years. However, the war has not received enough visual documentation. Despite the dynamic nature of the war, only few artists have attempted to creatively and conceptually interrogate and interpret the war, with a view to harness the creative potentials which war and crises situations provide. Hence, this research has explored the creative resource which is embedded in the Nigeria-Biafra War. In doing so, it has captured the mood of those historical moments of the war, and has used them as data to confront the present happenings in the nation. Also, the research has added to existing scholarship through text and graphic work. Thus, the creative resource which the Nigeria-Biafra War provides has been captured in the main project work titled Blood, Blood… in Biafra. Chapter One covers the background study of the research, while Chapter Two reviewed various literature and art works that are related to the Nigeria-Biafra War. Chapter Three embodies the pre-studio research and studio experiences, processes and techniques employed by the artist. The creative resource which the Nigeria-Biafra War provides has been captured in Chapter Four, while Chapter Five discusses the main studio project in detail. Chapter Six concludes the research.