Nigerian art

13th century onwards, working today · NigeriaLiving tradition

Benin bronze casters (Igun Street)

Igun Street, Benin City, Edo State

The royal guild of bronze casters (Igun Eronmwon) of the Kingdom of Benin, still working by the lost-wax method in Igun Street.

1940s–1970s · Nigeria

Lagos and the modern masters

Lagos, Ibadan and abroad

The first generation of modern Nigerian artists, trained in Nigeria and abroad, who set up the studios, schools and societies the later movements grew from.

Aina Onabolu, Ben Enwonwu, Akinola Lasekan, Felix Idubor

1950s onwards · Nigeria

Yaba School (Yaba College of Technology)

Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech), Lagos

The art department of Yaba College of Technology, one of the oldest art schools in Nigeria, has trained generations of Lagos painters and sculptors.

Yusuf Grillo, Kolade Oshinowo, Isiaka Osunde, Abiodun Olaku

1958–1961 and after · Nigeria

Zaria Art Society (Natural Synthesis)

Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology, Zaria

Students at Zaria who, on the eve of independence, called for "natural synthesis": joining the best of indigenous traditions with what was useful from Western art…

Uche Okeke, Yusuf Grillo, Bruce Onobrakpeya, Demas Nwoko

1961 onwards · Nigeria

Mbari Club, Ibadan

Ibadan, Oyo State

A club for writers and artists founded in Ibadan in 1961 by Ulli Beier with Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, J.

Uche Okeke, Demas Nwoko, Ibrahim El-Salahi

1960s onwards · Nigeria

Oshogbo School

Oshogbo (Osogbo), Osun State, Nigeria

Grew out of the Mbari Mbayo club and the workshops of Ulli and Georgina Beier, Susanne Wenger and Duro Ladipo in the early 1960s.

Twins Seven-Seven, Jimoh Buraimoh, Muraina Oyelami, Rufus Ogundele

1970s onwards · Nigeria

Nsukka School (Uli)

University of Nigeria, Nsukka

Artists teaching and studying at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, who took the uli and nsibidi drawing and body-painting traditions of Igbo women into painting,…

Uche Okeke, Obiora Udechukwu, El Anatsui, Chike Aniakor

1970s onwards · Nigeria

Abayomi Barber School

Centre for Cultural Studies, University of Lagos

A circle of artists who gathered around the painter and sculptor Abayomi Barber at the University of Lagos, working outside the university art departments.

Abayomi Barber, Bunmi Babatunde

1970s onwards · Nigeria

Auchi School (colourism)

Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State

The art school of the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, known across Nigeria for "colourism": pictures built from bold, saturated colour rather than line.

Sam Ovraiti, Ben Osaghae

1985–2000, reunited 2024 · Nigeria

Aka Circle of Exhibiting Artists

Nsukka and Enugu, Eastern Nigeria

A circle of artists founded in 1985 by El Anatsui and Obiora Udechukwu, who taught or studied at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and the Institute of Management and…

El Anatsui, Obiora Udechukwu, Chike Aniakor, Tayo Adenaike

1989 onwards · Nigeria

Ona Movement

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife

A group of artists at Ile-Ife who looked to Yoruba decorative design (ona) as the basis of a modern art, as the Nsukka artists did with uli.

Moyo Okediji, Kunle Filani, Tola Wewe, Bolaji Campbell

2000s onwards · NigeriaContemporary

Lagos contemporary

Lagos and the Nigerian diaspora

The galleries, fairs, festivals and art spaces of Lagos today, among them the Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos (2007), LagosPhoto (2010) and Art X Lagos (2016), and…

Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Peju Alatise, Victor Ehikhamenor, Nnenna Okore

Nigeria

University of Port Harcourt - Department of Fine Art and Design

Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria