Artists across time and space have infused materials not only with ritual and symbolic significance but also social, political, and economic functions. In Africa, artists from all known records have expressed themselves in different forms using varieties of media and materials. From the Stone Age to the earliest contact and the era of the explorers, evidences abound of the artistic potentials of Africa. Although an array of art materials is now available in Nigeria, many artists continue to explore the physical and textural qualities of local materials. In addition to improvising with industrial materials, Nigerian artists like their ancestors seek out materials local to their environment and in response to their civilization.

For further information at the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art (YSMA) website.