Title: Fragility of Tradition: Ngozi-Omeje Ezemas Terracotta Dry Leaves and Postmodern Nigerian Art
DOI: https://doi.org/10. 62250/nsuk.2024.32.4.1-16
Authors: Nkem Fortyunes Alu, Mary Chisara Opara, Jovita Charles Ogu
Published Date: 2025-02-01
Abstract: Abstract: This paper examines Ngozi-Omeje Ezemas Terracotta Dry Leaves within the context of the 2021 Kó Art Space exhibition in Lagos, Nigeria, titled “The New Nsukka Art School: Between Continuity and Change.” Grounded in the ideological and experimental traditions of the Zaria Art Society and the Nsukka Art School, Ezemas work reflects a dynamic synthesis of Nigerian artistic heritage and postmodern sensibilities. Tracing the historical roots of artistic radicalism in Nigeria, beginning with the Zaria rebels resistance to Euro-centric pedagogy in the late 1950s, the discussion explores how Uli motifs and local materials became central to a new form of artistic expression. Ezemas ceramic practice extends this trajectory of experimentation by transforming terracotta into a medium for conceptual exploration, emphasizing fragility, impermanence, and environmental themes. Positioned at the intersection of tradition and innovation, her work challenges the boundaries of ceramic art, signposting the evolution of contemporary Nigerian art in a globalized world. This study situates Terracotta Dry Leaves as a radical reimagining of materiality and artistic expression, embodying both continuity with and deviation from cultural traditions. Keywords: Ngozi-Omeje Ezema, Terracotta Dry Leaves, Nsukka Art School, Uli motifs, Nigerian contemporary art, fragility, ceramic art
Citation criteria:
Agujiobi-Odoh, N. (2024). Creative radicalism in contemporary Nigerian art. Intl. J. Dev. Strategies in Humanities, Managt. & Soc. Sciences (IJDSHMSS), 14(1), 123-131.
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