FUSION OF TRADITIONAL NIGERIAN ART AND CONTEMPORARY VISUAL PRACTICES: A CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF AINA ONABOLU'S ARTISTIC FORMS AND STYLES

Abstract

This paper examines the influence of Aina Onabolu (1882–1963) on contemporary Nigerian art, highlighting his pioneering integration of European artistic techniques with Yoruba traditional art. Onabolu, a significant figure in modern Nigerian art, played a pivotal role in introducing Western art education to Nigerian schools. His surname, “Onabolu,” reflects his creative legacy and metaphorically signifies "leading art to a great end." The Yoruba word Ònà, meaning "design," "motif," or "path," serves as a metaphor for his leadership in charting a new direction for Nigerian art during the colonial era. The paper traces his journey from being a self-taught artist to formal training he received at St. John's Wood Art School in London and Académie Julian in Paris and how his Western education made him a renowned portrait painter and academic figure painter. The paper will highlight his meticulous attention to anatomical accuracy, tonal gradation, and psychological depth which are hallmarks of European art— and his ability to blend these principles with indigenous aesthetics. By situating Onabolu’s oeuvre within broader art historical discourses, this paper argues that his work marks a critical juncture in the evolution of Nigerian art.