Classification of Art: Nigerian Art Works – Basic 4 Cultural & Creative Arts Lesson Note (First Term)

What is Classification of Art?

Classification of art means:

• Grouping artworks into different types
• Organizing art by what they are made of
• Sorting art by how they are created
• Putting similar artworks together

Why we classify art:

• Makes it easier to understand
• Helps us study and learn about art
• Shows different skills and techniques
• Organizes our knowledge about art

Main Classifications of Art

1. Visual Arts (Things we can see)

• Paintings and drawings
• Sculptures and carvings
• Pottery and ceramics
• Textiles and weaving
• Crafts and decorations

2. Performing Arts (Things we watch and hear)

• Music and singing
• Dance and movement
• Drama and theatre
• Storytelling

3. Literary Arts (Things we read)

• Poetry and verses
• Stories and folktales
• Proverbs and sayings

Nigerian Visual Art Works

1. SCULPTURES AND CARVINGS

Materials Used:

• Wood – trees like iroko, mahogany
• Stone – rocks and marble
• Clay – earth and terracotta
• Bronze and brass metals
• Ivory from elephant tusks

Famous Nigerian Sculptures:

• Nok Terracotta (ancient clay sculptures)
• Ife Bronze Heads (Yoruba bronze art)
• Benin Bronzes (Edo palace art)
• Igbo-Ukwu Bronze (ancient Igbo art)
• Yoruba Wood Carvings (masks, statues)

What they show:

• Kings and royal families
• Gods and spiritual beings
• Animals and nature
• Daily life activities
• Historical events

2. PAINTINGS AND DRAWINGS

Traditional Nigerian Paintings:

• Body painting with natural colors
• Wall paintings on houses and palaces
• Calabash decorations with designs
• Rock paintings in caves
• Cloth paintings and designs

Materials Used:

• Natural colors from plants and clay
• Charcoal for black drawings
• White clay (chalk) for light colors
• Red earth for brown and red colors
• Plant dyes for various colors

3. POTTERY AND CERAMICS

What they made:

• Water pots and storage jars
• Cooking pots and bowls
• Decorative items and art pieces
• Figurines and sculptures
• Roof tiles and building materials

Famous Nigerian Pottery:

• Nok pottery (very ancient)
• Hausa pottery (Northern Nigeria)
• Yoruba pottery (Western Nigeria)
• Igbo pottery (Eastern Nigeria)
• Contemporary pottery (modern times)

4. TEXTILES AND WEAVING

Types of Nigerian Textiles:

• Kente cloth (colorful woven fabric)
• Adire cloth (Yoruba tie-and-dye)
• Akwete cloth (Igbo woven fabric)
• Hausa embroidery (beautiful stitching)
• Aso-oke (Yoruba traditional fabric)

Materials Used:

• Cotton grown locally
• Silk from silkworms
• Raffia from palm trees
• Natural dyes from plants
• Threads of different colors

5. BEADWORK AND JEWELRY

What they made:

• Necklaces and bracelets
• Crowns for kings and chiefs
• Decorative items for ceremonies
• Religious objects for worship
• Clothing decorations

Types of Beads:

• Glass beads (made from sand)
• Clay beads (made from earth)
• Stone beads (carved from rocks)
• Metal beads (bronze and brass)
• Coral beads (from the sea)

6. METALWORK

What they made:

• Sculptures and statues
• Jewelry and ornaments
• Tools and weapons
• Religious objects
• Decorative items

Types of Metal Used:

• Bronze (copper and tin mixture)
• Brass (copper and zinc mixture)
• Iron and steel
• Gold (precious metal)
• Silver (precious metal)

Nigerian Performing Arts

Traditional Music:

• Talking drums (Yoruba)

• Flutes and pipes

• Xylophones and gongs
• String instruments like guitar ancestors
• Vocal music and chanting

Traditional Dances:

• Masquerade dances (spiritual performances)
• Harvest dances (celebration of crops)
• War dances (showing bravery)
• Courtship dances (love and marriage)
• Religious dances (worship and prayer)

Traditional Drama:

• Storytelling with acting
• Masquerade performances
• Festival celebrations with drama
• Moral teaching through plays
• Historical reenactments

Regional Variations in Nigerian Art

Northern Nigeria:

• Islamic influence in art
• Geometric patterns and designs
• Calligraphy (beautiful writing)
• Leather work and crafts
• Architecture with Islamic style

Middle Belt:

• Mix of Islamic and traditional art
• Wood carvings and sculptures
• Pottery and ceramic work
• Textiles and weaving
• Music and dance traditions

Southern Nigeria:

• Traditional African art styles
• Figurative sculptures (human and animal forms)
• Elaborate masks and costumes
• Complex bronze casting techniques
• Rich textile traditions

Purposes of Nigerian Art

1. Religious and Spiritual

• Worship gods and ancestors
• Protect from evil spirits
• Communicate with spiritual world
• Ceremony and ritual use

2. Royal and Political

• Show power and authority
• Decorate palaces and thrones
• Record historical events
• Symbol of leadership

3. Social and Cultural

• Mark important life events
• Teach young people about culture
• Celebrate festivals and ceremonies
• Unite communities

4. Practical and Functional

• Daily use items (pots, tools)
• Clothing and personal items
• House decoration and furniture
• Trade and economic purposes

5. Aesthetic and Decorative

• Make things beautiful
• Express creativity and skill
• Show artistic talent
• Bring joy and pleasure

Modern Nigerian Art

Contemporary Nigerian Artists:

• Bruce Onobrakpeya (printmaker)
• Ben Enwonwu (sculptor and painter)
• Yusuf Grillo (painter)
• Lamidi Fakeye (wood carver)

Modern Art Forms:

• Gallery paintings with modern themes
• Abstract art and contemporary styles
• Mixed media artworks
• Digital art and computer graphics
• Installation art in museums

Exercises

1. Fill in the blanks:

• Classification means _______ artworks into different types
• Visual arts are things we can _______
• The _______ people made famous terracotta sculptures
• _______ cloth is a famous Nigerian textile

2. True or False:

• Nigerian art only uses modern materials ( )
• Nok sculptures are made from clay ( )
• All Nigerian ethnic groups have the same art style ( )
• Art can be used for religious purposes ( )

3. Match the art type with its material:

• Sculptures → Wood, stone, bronze
• Pottery → Clay and earth
• Textiles → Cotton and silk
• Beadwork → Glass and coral

4. Circle the Nigerian traditional art forms:

• Nok terracotta
• Computer graphics
• Benin bronzes
• Plastic sculptures
• Adire cloth
• Kente weaving

5. Complete the art classifications:

• _______ Arts (things we see)
• _______ Arts (things we watch/hear)
• _______ Arts (things we read)

Answer Key:

1. grouping/organizing, see, Nok, Adire/Kente
2. False, True, False, True
3. Matching as shown above
4. Circle: Nok terracotta, Benin bronzes, Adire cloth, Kente weaving
5. Visual, Performing, Literary