CONTEXTUALISATION OF POTHOLES ON NIGERIAN ROADS IN PAINTING

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Author

Presented To

Department of Environmental Design

ABSTRACT
This thesis focuses on pothole as subject matter. Artists in the Renaissance epoch, laid much emphasis on the subject matter, while the Expressionist artists gave less importance to it. However, the coming of Pop artists, reintroduced the subject matter as a structural method in painting, by moving it from insignificance into a concrete device. The subject matter presently inspires many artists all over the globe. In Africa, artists like Gani Odutokun, Akin Afuwape, Jerry Buhari, Philip Gushem and David Koloane have been stirred to paint ordinary subjects within their environment. Their subjects address sociological issues like bad governance and problems of human existence. Potholes are a deficiency on a roadway, which is caused by excessive weather factors like heat, rain as well as heavy-duty vehicles, with overloaded goods. These factors create several cracks, which result into shallow or deep holes on the road; these are known as potholes and potholes are also known as sinkholes. Potholes can be found on both tarred and un-tarred roads. Vehicle tyres, human and animal footprints, create the patterns found on the roads and the patterns can be simple or complex. Potholes have inspired many artists who have done performance, installations and photography, which are mostly found in the European and Asian continents. Pothole as a global social phenomenon is not peculiar to the developed nations. As a developing country, Nigeria experiences greater problem of potholes on roads yet, there seems to be no painter who is interested in painting anything related to potholes as a subject matter, except late Gani Odutokun who painted Kaduna –Zaria Road in 1975 -about Forty-One years ago. This is observed as a gap and a problem by the researcher.  This study does not completely depend on either the potholes or the painting generated but rather, depends on the conceptual ideas generated by the challenges, which affect Nigeria as a nation. The researcher adopted two methodologies: practice-based and action research methods. These methods are harmonised by reflective practice. The paintings produced were categorised into four: preliminary, exploratory, developmental and abstracts stages. The study has created a critical platform for discussion about the pothole as a social issue. It has established that it is possible to achieve the stated objectives. This study established that: potholes as subject matter, if studied within their setting along with other objects such as trees, stones and shrubs, can create impressive landscapes; it is possible to generate satirical abstract paintings from potholes; it is possible to generate new motifs from potholes; using a subject matter like potholes, there are several possibilities in approaching conceptual ideas in painting; it is possible to create three dimensionality on two dimensional formats using upholstery foam for colour application. The study also engaged viewers in how to perceive potholes from the artist?s point of view. The research recommends that: further research on related areas such as road signs should be encouraged; artists who wish to realistically paint potholes as a subject matter should be encouraged as a strategy for visual communication; a post-doctoral painting research should be encouraged on the subject matter of potholes in the area of the sociological effects; and artists should be encouraged to study “ordinary” subject matter like cracked walls which may appear mundane, but on closer scrutiny, exhibit a wide variety of exciting discoveries.