TABLE OF CONTENTS
Cover page…… …………………………………………………………………………………………………i
Declaration…… ………………………………………………………………………………………………..ii
Certification…… ……………………………………………………………………………………………..iii
Dedication…… ………………………………………………………………………………………………..iv
Acknowledgments……………………………………………………………………………………………… v
Abstract……… ………………………………………………………………………………………..vii- viii
Contents………………………………………………………………………………………………………..ix
List of Tables………………………………………………………………………………………………… xii
List of Figures…… ………………………………………………………………………………………… xiii
List of Plates…… ……………………………………………………………………………………. xiv – xv
List of Appendices…………………………………………………………………………………………..xvi
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study ……………………………………………………………………………………. 1
Statement of Problem ………………………………………………………………………………………. 17
Aim and Objectives of the Study ………………………………………………………………………. 18
Research Questions …………………………………………………………………………………………..19
Justification…… ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 19
Significance of the Study ………………………………………………………………………………… 20
Scope of the Study …………………………………………………………………………………………..21
Limitations of the Study…… ……………………………………………………………………………..22
Conceptual Framework……………………………………………………………..….22
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CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
Works, Symbols and Icons of Peace…………………………………………………….. 29
Mediatory Role of Art Pieces in Conflict Situations………………………………………………39
The Highlights of Peace Building and Conflict Resolution in Jos, Plateau State………..41
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Design………………………………………………………………………………………………..50
Method of Data Collection………………………………………………………………………………….51
Research Instruments and Tools………………………………………………………………………… 51
Population…… ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 52
Sampling…….. ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 52
Pilot Study…………. ………………………………………………………………………………………. 53
Methods of Data Analysis………………………………………………………………………………….55
Field Work Report…… ……………………………………………………………………………………..55
CHAPTER FOUR: ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSIONS
Works that Intrinsically Provoke and Postulate Peace Issues and Symbolisms………… 62
Works on Positive and Negative Peace Building Efforts…… ……………………………….. 75
The Mediatory Roles of Art in Peace and Conflict Resolution ………………………………90
Supererogatory ………………………………………………………………………..106
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, FINDINGS CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary…..… ……………………………………………………………………………………………130
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Findings …… ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 135Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………………138
Recommendations ……………………………………………………………………140
Contributions to Knowledge …………………………………………………………141
References …… …………………………………………………………………………………………… 142
Appendices……. …………………………………………………………………………………………… 149
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
The concept of peace is a universal one in the hearts of many people. Individuals and corporate organisations the world over tend to strive for peaceful coexistence among one another in the face of mounting crises in society. In that regard, the place of art in social commentary cannot be overemphasised. Artists have created works which have served as statements on certain crisis situations, including wars, ravaging famine due to (ethnic, political and religious) conflicts, and also as an outrage to certain social, economic or political manipulations.
An allegorical story of peace in Picture of Peace (n.d.) on the viability of using art to communicate peace in society is hereby advanced: An artist was commissioned by a wealthy man to paint something that would depict peace. After a great deal of thought by the artist, he painted a beautiful country scene with all the trappings of peace. The wealthy man was disappointed with the painting and asked the artist to try again. After several attempts of painting other genres relating to peace and having several disapprovals from his patron, the artist finally got an inspiration to create a new painting. In the painting, he put in a lot of thought and related icons to peace. The picture showed a stormy sea pounding against a cliff. The artist had captured the fury of the wind, as it whipped off black rain clouds which were laced with streaks of lightening. The sea was roaring in turmoil, waves churning, the dark sky filled with the power of the furious thunderstorm. The focal interest was that, in the middle of the picture, under a cliff, the artist had painted a small bird, safe
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and dry in her nest, snuggled safely in the rocks. The bird was at peace, amidst the storm that raged about her.
The story gives a vivid picture of peace in all its facets, in the negative and positive aspects. The path to peace can be laced with turbulence and storms. However, in between the turmoil, peace can reign through the instrumentality of a few, and that is where art and artists, through their exhibits, come to play their role by drawing attention to peace issues and conflict resolution efforts in the society.
Artists, through their works, create a true reflection of the society. This they do through graphics, realistic and sometimes abstract drawings, sculptures and paintings, expressing their feelings on certain matters, and relating same through their various exhibits. Picasso‘s Guernica and Goya‘s painting of the devastation of war, as typified in his work 3rd May 1808 are good examples of artists‘ reaction to conflict situations and how such can be addressed through artistic media, to create a voice on the need for peace in order to avoid the horrid, lurid and sombre look of conflicts and wars. For instance, Guernica (Fig.1) was painted in 1937 as an outrage to war and terrorunleashed on Picasso‘s home town.
Fig.1:Guernica,Pablo Picasso, Oil on Canvas,1937, 138‖x 308‖.
Source: http://legomenon.com/guernica-meaning-analysis-of-painting-by-pablo-picasso.html
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According to Shabi (2013:1):
Picasso’s homeland of Spain is central to the meaning of Guernica, a mural the artist was commissioned to paint for the 1937 World Fair in Paris. Although Picasso expatriated to Paris and never did return to Spain during his life, the artist’s connection to his homeland of Spain is evident in Guernica, named after a small country town in northern Spain that was the target of a terror bombing exercise by the German Luftwaffe during the Spanish Civil War.
This history of the creation of the painting Guernica is linked to Picasso‘s personal reaction to terror, and as an artist, his reaction was swift in the depiction of the painting. In speaking about the painting, Shabi (2013:1) quotes Picasso‘s statement that ‗In the picture I am painting—which I shall call Guernica—I am expressing my horror of the military caste, which is now plundering Spain into an ocean of misery and death‘. Guernica is unequivocally a great masterpiece on an artist‘s reaction to a crisis situation, and a potent medium of expression to the public glare. Today, Guernica adorns the wall of the United Nations office as a potent statement on the devastation of war and the need to sue for peace and reconciliation through dialogue. In the same vein, Goya‘s earlier painting of 3rd May 1808 also portrayed the devastations of war and crises. Goya‘s painting was believed to have influenced Picasso‘s Guernica. Francisco Goya‘s 3rd May 1808 depicts the battle at Medina del Rio Seco in Spain. In an anonymous online article (n.d.) a description is given of the painting as follows:
Goya’s painting reveals the fear and suffering of the Spanish while Napoleon’s troops show no mercy. The man in the white shirt is a Christ figure. His stance is similar to Christ on the cross. The man is a martyr for the rest of the town, which is why his white clothes are not soiled. He is wearing a clean, white shirt, which is a significant difference compared to the other Spaniards. The townspeople are wearing dirty, blood-stained clothes of dark colours. He gives Napoleon’s troops a pleading look, knowing that he is about to be shot. Each of the townspeople has distinct facial expressions telling their stories. The man has his arms spread in a ‗V‘, which represents peace, something Napoleon’s troops clearly have no regard for. The people who have already been shot have casually been tossed aside to make room for the next victims. The monk preys over their dead bodies, perhaps
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in an effort to give them some peace. The man with his arms spread in a ‗V‘ looks pained, even in death. He too, is asking for peace from the troops (See Fig. 2).
Fig.2:The Third of May, 1808 in Madrid, Francisco Goya, oil on canvas,1808, 1814-15, 8′ 9″ x 13′ 4″ (Museo del Prado, Madrid). Source: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/becoming-modern/romanticism/romanticism-in-spain/a/goya-third-of-may-1808
This painting is allegorical and symbolic of peace in the face of war. The white shirt of the figure with raised arms in ―V‖ shape is also a symbolic of peace, which was the artist‘s unique style of driving home the message of peace. The price of peace is, however, costly. Even in death, the figure in the painting still maintained the same pose, drenched in blood. The aforementioned author concludes his description by stating that:
Napoleon’s troops’ faces cannot be seen from the paintings viewer. However, the townspeople have a clear view of their faces and find themselves staring down the barrel of their guns. The troops are bathed both in darkness and light, which reveals their clothing to also be clean and unsoiled with the victims’ blood. The unsoiled clothing shows how the troops were above dirty clothing, placing them at a higher level than the victims. To the troops, the victims seem anonymous and worthless, while we can see otherwise. The darkness of the painting shows impending doom, which is brought by the troops. Any regard for life is quickly cut down by the troop‘s firing squad.
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This author gives various elements that describe the painting, such as colours, gestures and moods, symbols, frozen moment dialogues and compositional dexterity. The message of peace is the focus of the painting. However, it was portrayed in a war situation. According to Zappella (2015:1):
Along with Picasso‘s Guernica, Goya‘s Third of May remains one of the most chilling images ever created of the atrocities of war, and it is difficult to imagine how much more powerful it must have been in the pre-photographic era, before people were bombarded with images of warfare in the media. A powerful anti-war statement, Goya is not only criticising the nations that wage war on one another, but is also admonishing us, the viewers, for being complicit in acts of violence, which occur not between abstract entities like ―countries‖, but between human beings standing a few feet away from one another.
Shbeta, Ghaleb, Milikovski, & Indyke (2015:1) state that ―art and dialogue are powerful mediums that can transform hearts and minds, even those of supposed enemies.‖ The potency of art-based peace building and conflict resolution in transforming the thought pattern of individuals is propagated in this statement. The time to time inevitable clashes in the human society have made various authors to lend their voices to the peace process in different disciplines. Schilling (2012:14) for instance states that:
The history of humankind has been significantly shaped by both love and conflict that regulate human experiences in a cycle of compassion and bitterness. These competing values are present in any human community, in our homes, our workplaces, in groups or associations where people come together and in the society as a whole.
Various areas of society strive for peaceful coexistence, and artists as members of society are not in isolation on the happenings in and around them. They, therefore, through their exhibits of various genres, stir visual dialogue in the society and engage the populace in a multifaceted discussion of aesthetics, conflict resolution and peace building. Saliu (1994: 8) states that ―an art work has little value if it is not relevant to the society in which it is produced.‖ Art has to be relevant in the society, and also the artists who produce the
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works and exhibit same for the public to appreciate and interact with, either as an object of worship as seen in some societies, or as an element provoking emotional response. Ikeda (2002:23) corroborates Saliu‘s point when he opines that:
The life and essence of art – whether it is a painting, music or dance—lies in expressing a wellspring of emotion, the universal realm of the human spirit. It is a melding of the individual and the universal. That is why great art reaches out beyond ethnic and national barriers to move people the world over.
The potency of art is underscored here, in terms of how it greatly affects human emotion, thereby melding various barriers and creating room for peaceful coexistence in the world.
Sculpture as a visual arts form has been used as a symbol of peace and conflict resolution. A case in point is the revered Non-violence sculpture by Carl Fredrik Reutersward.The work is a bronze sculpture of an oversized Colt Python .357 Magnum revolver with a knotted barrel and the muzzle pointing upwards (Fig. 3).
Fig. 3: Non-Violence, Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd , Bronze.
Source: http://cdn.earthporm.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/worlds-most-creative-statues-39.jpg
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Carl created this sculpture after a singer, songwriter and peace activist John Lennon was murdered. The sculpture today is found in 17 locations around the world. Ten of the sculptures are in various locations in Sweden, while the others are found in the United Nations headquarters, New York, USA; the European Commission, Kirchberg, Luxembourg; Beijing, China; and the Federal Chancellery, Berlin, Germany. Other locations are; Mémorial de Caen, Caen, France, Olympic Museum, Lausanne, Switzerland and Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town, South Africa. According to Anonymous (2015:1), ―Since 1993, the sculpture is the symbol of The Non-Violence Project, a nonprofit organisation promoting social change with violence-prevention education programs.‖ The knot at the end of the gun screams with symbolism that is very touching, and is an advocacy for non-violence and peaceful coexistence in the world. Another sculpture of interest is Let Us Beat Swords into Ploughshares by Evgeniy Vuchetich in the United Nations Art Collection in the United States. Various countries and societies have works which can be referred to as symbols of peace and conflict resolution. In Nigeria, for example, the effort of artists like Ukut (in his painting, Peace (see fig. 4)) is significant.
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Fig. 4: Peace, Ukut, E.A Oil on Canvas, 99 x 50 cm.
Source: Ukut E., Peace. Nucleus.Maiden catalogue of Works in Nigeria’s National Gallery of Modern Art. Federal Department of Culture, Lagos.
Also, David West‘s works, No More Aggression (see fig.5) and Unanimous Wish for Peace, and Kolade Oshinowo‘s Conflict Resolution, are visual arts exhibits noteworthy of mention in peace building and conflict resolution. Art exhibits on conflict resolution dot various continents of the world. Africa is noexception, Nigeria and Plateau State in particular, which is the focus of this research, contributes to the growing list of areas in which these peace building and conflict resolution art exhibits are found.
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Fig. 5: No More Aggression, David-West,H., Creative Poster, 100 x 77 cm. 1973.
Source: David-West, H. No More Aggression. Nucleus.Maiden catalogue of Works in Nigeria’s National Gallery of Modern Art. Federal Department of Culture, Lagos.
The crises situations in Plateau State since 2001 have inspired the researcher into making a research effort at articulating and analysing similar efforts by Nigerian artists. Consequently, this study is concerned with the impact of art exhibits in the propagation of peace and conflict resolution using a contextual analysis of visual arts. The salient impact of art pieces on the memory of the human mind is amazing and captivating.
The terms peace building and conflict resolution emerged in the 1970s after the work of Johan Galtung, who called for the creation of peace building frameworks to promote sustainable peace by addressing the root causes of violent conflicts and supporting indigenous capacities for peace management and conflict resolution. Peace as a word is a
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synonym for stability, or equilibrium, the state of calmness, the absence of war and armed conflicts, cessation of hostilities and absence of violence. Galtung (1967:12) talks of peace in relation to an individual at peace with himself, without necessarily involving the absence of violence. He gives an example of a soldier at peace with himself on the battle front, while under battle fire. Peace can also be the absence of organised collective violence, usually referred to as negative peace, and positive peace, which, according to Galtung, is ―synonym for all other good things in the world community, particularly cooperation and integration between human groups, with less emphasis on the absence of violence.‖ Conflict on the other hand is warfare between opposing forces, clash, and mentalstruggles between individuals, ideas, ideals and interest. Peace building usually arises from conflict situations and the need for amicable mediation and conflict resolution. According to Ramsbotham, Woodhouse & Miall (2011:4):
As a defined field of study, conflict resolution started in the 1950s and 1960s. This was at the height of the Cold War, when the development of nuclear weapons and the conflict between the superpowers seemed to threaten human survival. A group of pioneers from different disciplines saw the value of studying conflict as a general phenomenon with similar properties, whether it occurs in international relations, domestic politics, industrial relations, communities or families or between individuals. They saw the potential of applying approaches that were evolving in industrial relations and community mediation settings to conflicts in general, including civil and international conflicts.
The efforts of peace building in conflict situations have transformed from the time of Galtung till now, with new approaches to peace building, mediation and conflict resolutions identified over time. In a Salzburg Global Seminar plenary session, Lessac, Osoborne, Prim & Smith (2014:13) assert that:
Approaches to dealing with conflict have undergone a sea change over the last two decades with the discourse moving from conflict resolution to conflict transformation. The increasing awareness of the importance of an inter-
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disciplinary approach to understanding conflict has paved the way of psycho-sociological perspectives being included in the mainstream discourse on politics.
Conflict resolution is expected to be inter-disciplinary and multifaceted to create better understanding and all-inclusiveness in a diverse society, given the psychological and sociological inputs from all and sundry. Lessac, et al(2014).further opine that, ―the means adopted for this transformative end are diverse and range from dance, music and theatre, to journalism and the visual arts.‖ The visual arts were mentioned in this discuss without the input on how it aids conflict resolution and peace building, however, the authors give a vivid description of the performing art and the efforts in peace building. Lessac et al (2014) affirm this when they state that:
The power of music and theatre was palpable as the Global Arts Corps actors reconciled while performing, during rehearsals, having the performance as a common goal. The play became a mirror for Rwandans and other conflict societies to see their own conflict as the troupe toured for two and half years in twenty-six countries. Stepping into another‘s shoes during performances enables a kind of honest dialogue that otherwise becomes difficult to achieve. ‗While playing a character, you can say things that you can‘t normally say otherwise…work demands that you look out for each other‘, said an actor who was part of the theatre project, summing up the dialogic potential of the arts in peace-building.
According to Lessac et al (2014), the arts have aided in conflict situations in Rwanda and other countries and societies. Drew (2012:1) affirms as follows: ―I think the method of using art and music to involve the marginalized can be quite powerful.‖ The potency of art and music are here horned, however lacking mention of the visual arts.
Various continents, including Africa, have had their fair share of conflicts. Nigeria is not exempt from conflict situations. The need to delve into peace building and conflict resolution is thus paramount. According to Osaretin & Akov (2013:349), ―Nigeria has played host to different types of conflict, especially since the beginning of the Fourth Republic. Critical amongst these is ethno-religious conflict, whose centrifugal tendencies
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portend dangerous vortex for the corporate existence of the country.‖ The Nigerian society has witnessed ethno-religious conflicts, and an area where this has become prevalent is Jos in Plateau State, Nigeria (Fig.6).
Fig. 6: Map of Plateau State showing the Local Government Areas.
Source: http://www.genevadeclaration.org/fileadmin/docs/regional-publications/GD-WP-Jos-deadly-cycle.pdf
Plateau State is one of the 36 States of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is located in the middle belt region of the country, and falls under the North – Central zone. The current geographical landscape of Plateau State has passed through various phases historically from the colonial period till now. In 1902, tin mining exploration and exploitation started. According to a Plateau State Government Gazette (2016), ―colonial manipulation was from a desire to protect the railway construction and guarantee a safe
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passage of mined tin to the coast. The British began to exert colonial control of Nigeria in the early 20th century.‖
Another historical change was in 1926. Plateau Province was made up of Jos and Pankshin Divisions. Plateau State has a very rich cultural heritage. The Nok culture, one of the earliest iron smelting cultures and terracotta forms dating between 500 BC and AD 200, is associated with the area, which has become important to the art and archaeological history in Nigeria.The Jos museum was established in 1952 by Bernard Fagg, and was officially opened to the public in 1955. According to the same gazette (Plateau State Government Gazette, 2016), the National Museum at Jos is the oldest in the country, and the Museum of Traditional Nigerian Architecture (MOTNA) contains various architectural designs of major Nigerian ethnic groups. The Museum, which is a collection of the varied art culture of Nigerian ancient treasures, is a reflection of the strategic historical location of Plateau State. The expansion of the state and the creation of new territories continued in May 1967, when Benue and Plateau Provinces were merged to form the large Benue – Plateau State. At that period Nigeria was made up of twelve states. Plateau state was split following the Nigerian civil war of July 6, 1967 – January 15, 1970. In further discussing the developmental phases of the State, Plateau State Government Gazette (2016) states that:
Under the military administration of General Yakubu Gowon, the country was further divided into nineteen states in 1976, and Plateau state was created from Benue-Plateau, covering the area of the original Plateau Province. In 1996, Plateau State was further subdivided to create Nasarawa state, which was carved out of the western half of Plateau state by Sani Abacha’s military regime.
Today, Plateau State is the twelfth largest state in Nigeria. The State has 17 Local Government Areas (L.G.As), namely Barkin Ladi, Bassa, Bokkos, Jos – East, Jos – North,
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Jos – South, Kanam, Kanke, Langtang – North, Langtang South, Mangu, Mikang, Pankshin, Qua’an Pan, Riyom, Shendam and Wase.
Plateau State got its name from the Jos Plateau. It has a population of around 3.5 million people, and the slogan for the State is ―Home of Peace and Tourism‖. The State is bordered to the north east by Bauchi State, and to the North West by Kaduna State. To the south west, the state is bordered by Nasarawa State, while to the south east it is bordered by Taraba State.The State has a favourable climate, with an average temperature of between 18°C and 22°C. Harmattan winds cause the coldest weather between December and February. The warmest temperatures usually occur in the dry season months of March and April. The peak of the wet season is July and August. The climatic condition of the State encourages agricultural activities and the growing of staple foods and other exotic plants such as Irish potatoes, apples, strawberries and assorted vegetables, to mention a few.According to Plateau State Government Gazette (2016), Plateau State:
… has over forty ethno-linguistic groups. Some of the indigenous tribes in the state are the Berom, Afizere, Amo, Anaguta, Aten, Bogghom, Buji, Challa, Chip, Fier, Gashish, Goemai, Irigwe, Jarawa, Jukun, Kofyar (comprising Doemak, Kwalla, and Mernyang).
The article further reports other ethno-linguistic groups to includeMontol, Mushere, Mupun, Mwaghavul, Ngas, Piapung, Pyem, Ron-Kulere, Bache, Talet, Taroh (Tarok), Youm and Fulani/Kanuri in Wase. The major preoccupations of the people are farming, mining and trading, and there is a rich display of cultural heritage and tradition in the State. Plateau State is a microcosm of the world, as people from other parts of the country, with their different cultures and traditions have come to settle in. These include the Igbo, Ibibio, Yoruba, Hausa, Annang, Efik, IjawandIgala, to mention a few. Expatriates have also settled
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in Plateau state from colonial times till now for business, trade and the welcoming climate and tourism potentials of the state.
Jos is the capital city of Plateau State (Fig. 7). It is made up of three L.G.As (Jos North, Jos South and Jos East). Politically, the state has three senatorial zones, namely the northern, southern and central senatorial zones, with Jos (Jos North, Jos South and Jos East) falling under the northern senatorial zone, along with Bassa, Riyom and Barkin Ladi
L.G.A.s.Jos – North, which is the central area of violent conflicts in the senatorial zone, is made up of the indigenes of the land like the Berom, Anaguta and Afizere ethnic groups. The non-indigenes of Jos are basically the Hausa/ Fulani ethnic group who are referred to as the Jasawa and other settlers like the Igbo, Yoruba, Igala and other ethnic groups. Best (2007:14) avers that ―the northern and southern zones have experienced extremely violent conflict situations, adding to tens of thousands of internally displaced persons, deaths,injuries and maiming, and the destruction of properties, etc.‖ The hostilities and the attendant rippling effects of various conflicts, which have affected the peaceful nature of the state, started as ethno-religious conflicts and political dominance by settlers and resistance from the indigenes of the State.
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Fig. 7: Map of Jos. Source: http://www.genevadeclaration.org/fileadmin/docs/regional-publications/GD-WP-Jos-deadly-cycle.pdf
The conflicts which took a wide scale from 2001 and the years following, have led various authors to lend voices to ways of creating a society where peace thrives and conflict is discouraged through various efforts.
Peace building advocates, authors, artists, civil society organisations and other stakeholders are involved in the bid for peaceful coexistence and conflict resolution. It is
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against this background, therefore, that this study is intended to look at the contextual analysis of selected art works on peace and conflict resolution in Jos, Plateau State capital of Nigeria.
Statement of the Problem
The content, context and extrinsic manifestation of an art piece are better explained by the creator, or a curator, of art, through descriptive analysis and critique. This aspect is missing in many exhibition catalogues and literature. Various authors have discussed how art can be used and has been used for conflict resolutions and peace building. However, most of the discussions are based on the performative arts of theatre, music, poetry, film making and street plays, with very few discussing the visual arts. Seidl-Fox (2014:5) states that:
Cultural practitioners participating in the session represented diverse arts organisations including museums, theatres, music organizations, cultural heritage institutions, as well as filmmakers, festival organizers, and performance groups engaged in a broad range of creative practices related to peace-building, conflict prevention, conflict transformation, violence prevention, trauma therapy, conflict diffusion, and social cohesion.
Sridhar (2014:7) in an article titled Introduction: A Journey of Discovery discussed peace building, peacemaking, and conflict prevention through the arts. The discussion explored ―the role that the arts can play, and have played, in pre- and post-war situations, in the area of reconciliation and forgiveness, in post-conflict society rebuilding, and in conflict prevention.‖ The aforementioned author used arts as a generic term, however, referring to the performing arts in the cultural sector. The arts have been used extensively in many conflict-ridden societies and are still being used. Theatrical performances, dances, songs and various genres of music have been successfully used for conflict resolution in crises situations. The problem that this present study seeks to address, therefore, is the fact that
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the performative arts have enjoyed a pride of place in the expression of societal issues such as the propagation of peace, at the expense of the visual arts, which have been relegated in mediatory processes of conflict resolution. The researcher has identified this as a gap requiring investigative research and argumentation. Visual art is rarely given any mention in the literature of conflict management, and even where it is mentioned, there is no in-depth analysis. According to Gold (2006:1), ―art can be a powerful tool for transformation at the personal, interpersonal, and organisation level.‖ These are anchored on the fact that art pieces have served mediatory roles in peace processes in the past and can be employed in the present for posterity. Gold (2006:2) further states that:
Art is often about emotions and personal experience; thus artists have the ability to explore subjects in ways that are accessible to everyone. By presenting various visions of a similar subject, artists have the power to change how the past is viewed. Therefore, artists, if they desire, have a unique ability to serve as conflict mediators through the creation and presentation of their work.
This study hopes to bridge the gap noticed in previous art-based conflict resolution strategies by using visual arts as the thrust of discussion on peace and conflict resolution.
Aim and Objectives of the Study
The aim of this study is to articulate peace and conflict resolution efforts made through enumeration of selected exhibits in the visual arts, while the specific objectives are to:
i. identify works that intrinsically provoke and postulate peace and conflict issues;
ii. examine art exhibits in relation to positive and negative peace building efforts;
iii. analyse selected works within the context of peace and conflict resolutions;
iv. advance the mediatory role of art works in peace and conflict situations; and
v. documentthematic contents, icons and symbols of peace in art exhibits.
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Research Questions
This research poses some questions which the researcher hopes to answer in order to achieve the objectives of the study. The questions are:
i. How can one identify works that intrinsically provoke and postulate peace building?
ii. What positive and negative peace building efforts can one find in art exhibits?
iii.In what way can art works be analysed to show their peace and mediatory roles?
vi. What mediatory roles can art play in peace building efforts?
v. How can the icons, symbols and thematic contents of peace in art be documented?
Justification of the Study
Peaceful coexistence is a strong drive required of any society. This study will draw the attention of people to the potency of visual art in propagating peace and inclusion in conflict resolution parlance. The understanding of visual statements, icons, symbols and signs aids the proper understanding of the layman in a visual dialogue. In addition, most exhibition catalogues and brochures only list the artists and their works, without giving an analysis of the contextual meanings of the art exhibits in relation to specific issues in the society like peace building. Thus, the researcher hopes to evaluate, analyse, and assess works on peace building and conflict resolution.
According to Gold (2006:5), ―it is also important to mention that more research must be done on the role of the arts in peace-building. There have been very few studies that have focused on how the arts can aid conflict transformation.‖ This goes to reinforce that this research, is justified because it will increase the amount of information that will be
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derived from the study on this topic and present a case study which has not been thoroughly researched before in Jos, Plateau State.
This research builds on existing literature, particularly on art for peace and conflict resolution, and encourages more scholarship generally in the area of peaceful coexistence and conflict resolution, specifically in the visual arts. This is because the researcher also has a strong drive for the advancement of visual arts in conflict resolution, and scholarship tends to offer that platform of expression through research.
Significance of the Study
Visual arts are valuable and indispensable statement tools, yet sometimes they are underrated and under-utilized, particularly in peace building efforts. This study exposes and highlights the efforts that some visual artists have made in that direction, thereby lending its voice to public advocacy for peace, and also adding to the mediatory efforts in propagating sustainable peace. According to Cohen (2003:3), artists ―can serve as mediators.‖ She further opines that:
In divided communities where violence has impaired people‘s capacities to listen, artists can use the qualities of receptivity to facilitate expression, healing, and reciprocal understanding. The qualities of listening associated with aesthetic attention—alert but calm, emotional but cognitively aware, engaged but detached—are precisely the kinds of presence that can help people put their experiences into words. Also, artists‘ listening to those who have been traumatised by violence can begin to restore a victim‘s capacity and willingness to hear the stories and experiences of the other.
The potency of the artists‘ exhibits and statements gives credence to the peace process, hence the need by the present researcher to embark on this study. It is also important to note that the dearth of resources on peace building through art exhibits will be improved
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upon to allow other scholars benefit from the paradigm of peace building and conflict resolution through visual arts.
Scope of the Study
This research focuses on peace building and conflict resolution using visual arts in Jos, the Plateau State capital, in Nigeria. This is drawing inspiration from the ravaging effects of crises in the State and peace efforts by all and sundry in order to maintain a society where peace is sustained. Plateau State is the proposed setting for this research, because the state has been experiencing escalating violence since 2001, the mounting crises being more in the capital city, Jos.
A period of 10 years was considered, to mark a decade of conflict resolution efforts starting from 2005 – 2015. Jos is the thriving centre of art activities, named the ―home of peace and tourism‖. Artists in Jos use art and exhibitions to express their views on various issues reported in the State. The activities of various bodies advocating for peaceful coexistence in the state became heightened at this period, including artists‘ advocacies through exhibitions. Activities such as rallies, theatrical performances, concerts, mass media advocacies, and visual art exhibitions are regularly held.
The visual arts exhibits, the focus of this research as compared to other art forms, are organised to aid in the understanding of negative and positive peace imageries in exhibitions as portrayed by the artists. Hence, this research will also focus on the visual arts (painting and sculpture) only. Even at that, only works that address peace and conflict resolution themes were studied.
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Limitations of the Study
Some works that were discussed, during the focus group discussion, which the researcher felt were potent and make poignant and proactive statements on peace and conflict resolution could not be assessed. An example is the colossal sculptural piece in Jos – South on peace, which has not been officially commissioned by the government as at the time of the research. There was also a paucity of sculptural works on peace and conflict resolution in Jos, Plateau State. Some that had direct bearing on peace and conflict resolution at round about spaces in Jos metropolis and environ were destroyed by the previous administration, while the few sculptors contacted by the researcher, said they did not have such works to present for discussion, however, they have worked on other social genre themes, which is not the interest of this study. Some other artists contacted for the study did not respond to attend either the focus group discussion or private interview sessions, even after several promises. This would have added to the varied array of works for analyses and discussions documented.
Assessing funding was difficult from institutions and agencies, this would have added to a veritable library resource and travel experiences to areas around the globe where visual arts practices thrive.
Conceptual Framework
Conceptual framework, according to Miles & Huberman (in Vaughan, 2008:4) is ―a written or visual presentation that explains either graphically or in narrative form the main things to be studied – the key factors, concepts or variables – and the presumed relationship among them.‖ The conceptual framework for this research is based on a varied description of negative and positive peace art, and the attendant effect of the imageries
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produced to aid peaceful coexistence in society. There are many possible definitions of peace building, and varying opinions about what it involves. This research builds on existing works of scholars in the field of peace building and conflict resolution through the plastic arts. By the arts, one is talking about the performing and plastic art. However, the plastic art (paintings and sculptures) is the main interest of the researcher. The research draws inferences from the model adopted by Shank and Schirch (2008:2) which state that:
By peace building, the authors mean a wide range of efforts to prevent, reduce, transform, and help people recover from violence in all forms, at all levels of society, and in all stages of conflict. If the arts are going to be useful to the field of peace building, it is necessary to know what the arts contribute to peace building, when different art forms are appropriate in the cycle of conflict, and how the arts are so effective in their contribution to peace building.
The scriptures, in Rom 14:19 (New International Version), state that, ―Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.‖ The effort at peace building is varied. Shank and Schirch (2008) applied this model in approaching strategic peace building using the various art forms. They talk about how artists waging non-violent conflicts can work to balance power by creating an artistic platform that is highly imaginative and provocative, thus demanding attention. The authors say artists can raise awareness about latent local issues and conflicts (for example, social injustice) through specific artistic media, escalating the intensity of the conflict so that it cannot be ignored. Shank andSchirch (2008:2) further aver that, ―Art forms that potentially fall within the Waging Conflict Non-Violently category include (but are not limited to) invisible theatre, symbolic reinterpretation, spoken word, hip-hop, documentary filmmaking, public murals, agitprop, installation art, and chants.‖ This has been successfully applied to warring communities with outstanding results. Some examples include Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where music is a frequent mechanism for discussing social and political issues. The youth
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use hip-hop to teach others about joblessness, corruption, class differences, AIDS, and other problems. In the war-torn Batticoloa district of Sri Lanka, children and adults engage in music, painting, theatre, yoga and sculpture in the Butterfly Peace Garden as a way of recovering from, and transcending, trauma. In Israel, the Peres Center for Peace brings together Palestinians and Israelis to create joint theatre projects to foster dialogue.
Shank and Schirch (2008:8) adduce and talk of how in Venezuela, Dr. Jose Antonio Abreu creates orchestras and choirs for low-income youth as a means of contributing to social integration and improving self-esteem. Also, in the Philippines, theatre artists tour the island of Mindanao, using performance to introduce the concept of peaceful coexistence between Muslim, Christian and indigenous communities. Shank and Schirch (2008:8) further reports that:
In Mexico, public murals have a long history of waging nonviolent (sic) conflict by communicating dissent against social, political, and economic structures. Artists like Diego Rivera and José Clemente Orozco, for example, challenged economic structures that benefited the elite with elaborate public murals glorifying the revolutionary struggles of the working.
The effort of mural artists is commendable in the socio-political scene. Murals have lasting memories on the beholders since they are placed strategically as fixed exhibits for all to see. Shank and Schirch go on to argue that ―murals like Orozco’s raise public awareness about conflict by acting as a mirror to society, showing in sometimes exaggerated, vivid colour, a symbolic portrait of oppression and conflict between different groups in society.‖ Shank andSchirch (2008:4) opine that:
Rather than take up arms to deliver a message of opposition to the ruling class, these and other artists around the world use murals to permanently register their voices within the public domain. And unlike the fleeting and temporary nature of other art forms, the mural’s message is enduring, delivered constantly to passersby, making the mural a potent form of waging conflict nonviolently.
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The potency of the mural, which is a visual art form, has been advanced. However, the contextual meaning and analysis of the work have not been discussed. The present researcher sees this as a viable area that needs to be explored for a better understanding of the visual art forms of peace and conflict resolution.
The model used by Rank (2008:1) is also applicable to this study as the author notes that ―in peace studies, we talk about ‗negative peace‘ as that which is defined by the absence of war, and ‗positive peace‘ as all the conditions that contribute to a sustainable peace. In parallel to that we have anti-war art (negative imagery) and ‗peace art‘ (positive imagery).‖ The use of art to depict the state of peace and efforts toward peace building is hereby advanced. These concepts enabled the researcher to:
i. identifyart works that intrinsically provoke and postulate peace issues and how to use same to prevent, reduce, transform, and help people recover from violence in all forms where applicable.
ii. examineart in relation to positive and negative peace building efforts. This will aid in answering some of the researcher‘s questions on the viability of art in conflict resolution.
iii. articulatethe mediatory efforts of art in peace and conflict resolution.
Therefore, the conceptual framework of the study draws inferences from artists whose works dwell on peace building through their styles, intentions and their reactions to conflicts and other devastations, and the need to sensitise the society on peaceful coexistence through the issues raised in visual arts works based on the concepts of Shank and Schirch (2008) and Rank (2008).
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