Advances in Modern Nigerian Art and Urban Aesthetics: Osogbo Fence Beautification’s Experience

Foluso Modupe Abejide

doi:10.7176/rhss/10-4-01

Abstract

Fences and boundary demarcations are later additions to buildings, for fortification, while their ornamentation is an advancement in modern Nigerian art from the 1970s. Studies of wall decorations have focused mainly on facades of buildings and shrine walls, with little scope for ornamentations on fences of private residential buildings. This study investigates the trends in boundary demarcation in Yoruba culture, highlighting the innovations in the practice. It also classifies the forms and styles in the decoration on fences of domestic buildings, using Osogbo, a prominent city in the advancement in art and culture, since its inception. The study reveals rich and divergent styles of artistic embellishment in fences of private homes, in diverse materials. The ornamentation on fences are observed to evolve with the means of the owners and indirectly enhance the aesthetic of the environment. Keywords: Fence beautification, Fortification, Modern art, Urban Aesthetics, Osogbo. DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/10-4-01 Publication date: February 29 th 2020

Highlights

Beautification is the art of ornamenting or enhancing visual appeal. Osasona (2005:1-2) defines ornamentation as the process of embellishing features of works or adding features for decorative purposes, which is aptly described as a means of beautifying man’s dwelling, making it aesthetically pleasing
The primary data were obtained through field investigation, physical observation and photographic survey of domestic buildings with uniquely ornamented fences in Osogbo, sourced through the referral snowball technique (RDS)
Findings and Concluding Discussions Research findings reveal that fence ornamentations in Osogbo are advances in locations of ornamentation of buildings and new developments in modern Nigerian art, incited by insurgences in the country

Summary

Introduction

Beautification is the art of ornamenting or enhancing visual appeal. Osasona (2005:1-2) defines ornamentation as the process of embellishing features of works or adding features for decorative purposes, which is aptly described as a means of beautifying man’s dwelling, making it aesthetically pleasing. This study in addition to classifying the types of fences in Osogbo, builds on Osasona’s expositions on stucco fences, while further highlighting the advancements in fencing barriers, after Osasona’s study, most especially the new trends in artistic embellishment of fences. They can be classified as fence walls in designed perforated masonry blocks, fences decorated with ceramic bricks, structurally designed fences, fence ornamentation in stucco reliefs, paint embellished fence walls, ornamented fences in mud reliefs or stabilized earth, and fences in contemporary add-ons.

Results

Conclusion