1 TITLE PAGE THE NIGERIA-BIAFRA WAR AS A CREATIVE RESOURCE FOR THE PAINTER ELEKWA, N. RICHARD REG. No. PG/MFA/12/61430 A PROJECT REPORT IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF FINE ART (MFA) IN PAINTING DEPARTMENT OF FINE AND APPLIED ARTS, UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA 2 NOVEMBER, 2015 3 CERTIFICATION Elekwa N. Richard, a Post Graduate Student in the Department of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Nigeria, Nsukka with Reg. No. PG/MFA/12/61430 has satisfactorily completed the requirements for course and research work for the degree of Master in Fine Arts. This project report is original and has not been submitted in part of full for any other diploma or degree of this or any other university. ________________________ _________________________ ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR DATE CHUU KRYDZ IKWUEMESI SUPERVISOR _____________________ __________________________ ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR DATE CHUU KRYDZ IKWUEMESI HEAD OF DEPARTMENT _________________________ _________________________ PROF. EMMA OKUNNA DATE EXTERNAL EXAMINER 4 APPROVAL PAGE This project has been approved for the award of the degree of Master in Fine Art (MFA) in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. __________________________________ ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR CHUU KRYDZ IKWUEMESI SUPERVISOR __________________________________ ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR CHUU KRYDZ IKWUEMESI HEAD OF DEPARTMENT __________________________________ PROF. EMMA OKUNNA EXTERNAL EXAMINER NOVEMBER, 2015 5 ACKNOWLEDGMENT I want to sincerely acknowledge the fatherly role of my supervisor Associate Professor Chuu Krydz Ikwuemesi, whose mentorship, corrections and directions were indispensible. Also I want to acknowledge the following people: My uncles and aunties; Engr. and Mrs Daniel Ugoji and, Sir and Lady Christian Ihejiako for their patience and parental support, my Fiancée Stephanie Ariwodo, my classmate Chinyere Odinukwe, Mrs Ugo Enebeli, Mr Emmanuel Ndu Eze, My siblings, and my room mate Harrison Ezimefula. Their encouragement and support cannot be repaid. To all these wonderful people, the good Lord who has used you to make this project a success will reward you abundantly in Jesus Name. Amen! 6 DEDICATION This work is dedicated to the loving memory of my beloved mother and brother. Though they were buffeted by illness, but like the Biafran people they suffered and fought death gallantly until their last breathe. I salute your courage and those of all the Biafrans who died during the war. 7 ABSTRACT The Nigeria-Biafra War which is one of the most remarkable events in the history of Nigeria due to the sophisticated weaponry, suffering, death, genocide, starvation and hunger that were perpetrated during the war has continued to receive scholarly attention over the years. However, the war has not received enough visual documentation. Despite the dynamic nature of the war, only few artists have attempted to creatively and conceptually interrogate and interpret the war, with a view to harness the creative potentials which war and crises situations provide. Hence, this research has explored the creative resource which is embedded in the Nigeria-Biafra War. In doing so, it has captured the mood of those historical moments of the war, and has used them as data to confront the present happenings in the nation. Also, the research has added to existing scholarship through text and graphic work. Thus, the creative resource which the Nigeria-Biafra War provides has been captured in the main project work titled Blood, Blood... in Biafra. Chapter One covers the background study of the research, while Chapter Two reviewed various literature and art works that are related to the Nigeria-Biafra War. Chapter Three embodies the pre-studio research and studio experiences, processes and techniques employed by the artist. The creative resource which the Nigeria-Biafra War provides has been captured in Chapter Four, while Chapter Five discusses the main studio project in detail. Chapter Six concludes the research. 8 TABLE OF CONTENT Title Page…………………………………………………………… i Certification Page…………………………………………………… ii Approval Page………………………………………………………. iii Acknowledgement ………………………………………………….. iv Dedication ………………………………………………………….. v Preface ………………………………………………………………. vi Table of Content ……………………………………………………. vii Chapter One Background of the Study …………………………………………… 1 Aims of the Research …………………………………………………. 5 Statement of the Problem …………………………………..………. 6 Significance of the Study…………………………………………….. 7 Methodology ……………………………………………………….. 8 Scope of the Study …………………………………………………… 9 Limitation ………… ……………………………………………… 9 Chapter Two Literature Review …………………….……………………………… 10 Graphic Data which have also Generated Core and Peripheral Literature……. 14 9 Chapter Three Pre – Studio Research and Studio Experience ……………………………. 18 Processes …………………………………………………………... ……… 19 Preparation of Painting Surfaces …………………………………………… 27 Painting Medium / Colour Application ……………………………………. 27 Technical Approach ……….……………………………………………….. 29 Works with Calligraphy……………………………………………………. 29 Works with Plastics……………………………………………………….. 30 Works that Combine Plastics, Calligraphy and Paint……………………. 32 Digital Paintings…….…………………………………………………….. 33 Chapter Four The Nigeria-Biafra War as a Creative Resource …………………………… 34 Violence……………………………………………………………………… 36 Starvation…………………………………………………………………… 38 Genocide…………………………………………………………………… 45 10 Chapter Five Hermeneutical Critique of Studio Project …………………… 53 Chapter Six Conclusion …………………………………………………….. 74 Reference ……………………………………………………… 77 The Nigeria-Biafra War As A Creative Resource For The Painter Elekwa, N. Richard The Nigeria-Biafra War which is one of the most remarkable events in the history of Nigeria due to the sophisticated weaponry, suffering, death, genocide, starvation and hunger that were 11 perpetrated during the war has continued to receive scholarly attention over the years. However, the war has not received enough visual documentation. Despite the dynamic nature of the war, only few artists have attempted to creatively and conceptually interrogate and interpret the war, with a view to harness the creative potentials which war and crises situations provide. Hence, this research has explored the creative resource which is embedded in the Nigeria-Biafra War. In doing so, it has captured the mood of those historical moments of the war, and has used them as data to confront the present happenings in the nation. Also, the research has added to existing scholarship through text and graphic work. Thus, the creative resource which the Nigeria-Biafra War provides has been captured in the main project work titled Blood, Blood... in Biafra. Chapter One covers the background study of the research, while Chapter Two reviewed various literature and art works that are related to the Nigeria-Biafra War. Chapter Three embodies the pre-studio research and studio experiences, processes and techniques employed by the artist. The creative resource which the Nigeria-Biafra War provides has been captured in Chapter Four, while Chapter Five discusses the main studio project in detail. Chapter Six concludes the research. Chapter One Introduction As long as human beings continue to coexist, there is bound to be identity clashes, temperamental outbursts and selfish interests which explain the divergent nature of the human psyche. It is hard for two individuals even those from the same parents to stay together over a long period of time without any disagreement. Hence, it explains why a group of persons will agree to disagree with another group of persons. It is natural for humans to protect their interest, and when that interest is being threatened it can result in irrational behaviour that can generate 12 violence, chaos or even war. Thus, war can become a tool that is employed to protect ones interest or the interest of a group of people. Nevertheless, war has been defined in several ways. The definition by Jill Long is quite apt for the purpose of this research War is the coherent execution of all means to bring about sufficient adherence to a nation's will in the international (global) arena; resulting in armed conflict only when all other means fail...". A state of armed conflict between different countries or different groups within a country is seen as war (Jill, 2012). Therefore, war is a state of chaos, disunity, violence, and other inhumane acts perpetrated by a people to others by any means possible. There are records of various wars that have taken place all over the world; for instance, the Eighty Years War (1568-1648), The Dutch-Portuguese War (1602-1663), The Nine Years War (1688-1697), also called the War of the Grand Alliance. Also there is the World War I (1914-1918) and the World War II (1939-1945) (Mitchell 2011). Most of the wars listed above happened in Europe, and they were highly tribalistic in nature. However, The World Wars I and II as the names imply did not happen in every continent of the world. For instance, Africa was not among the warring parties, although soldiers were conscripted from some former colonies in Africa to fight in the World Wars. That does not mean that Africa has not experienced its own share of wars. Some of the wars that have taken place in Africa include The Ugandan Civil War (1981-1986), the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970), Angolan Civil War (1975-2005), the Rwandan Civil War (1990-1993), the First Congo War (1996-1997), the Second Congo War (1998-2003), and many others (Sharon, 2014). However, the Nigerian Civil War was the first most sophisticated war in Africa