- Dr. Kukoyi, Ayodeji Olusola
- DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18605345
- Global Academic and Scientific Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies (GASJMS)
Divergent
Creativity under a Beleaguered Environment: A Report of Virtual Exhibition of
the Sculptors Association of Nigeria (ScAN) During Covid-19 Pandemic Lockdown
in Nigeria.
The impact of Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdown restriction of human interactions auspicate diverse negative omen on the social nature of man as a gregarious animal. Many studies have been advanced towards its impact in diverse areas of study, including visual art practice. However, studies have not deeply focus on its impact on a group performance in order to assess its effects under a socio- economic environment of a “new normal”. This aspect of study needs to be addressed in order to put things in place, therefore, this paper is a technical report on the virtual exhibition of the Sculptors Association of Nigeria (ScAN) during the pandemic lockdown as a survival strategy. It advanced five quintessential elements of the creative process impacted by the pandemic namely; Space, Material, Clientele, Support services and Health.as it applies to visual art practice and how sculptors within the ScAN umbrella were able to navigate the challenges of pandemic lockdown in the face of a new normal. The report identified the challenges of the sculptors in studio practice and carefully examined where divergent thinking was employed to turn lockdown restrictions into a new form of virtual exhibition. It observed that despite the impact of the pandemic, Sculptors association of Nigeria was able to redirect the modus operandi of a hitherto physical exhibition to a virtual exhibition. The report therefore concludes that, what is required to sustain creativity under a beleaguered environment such as the covid-19 pandemic is the will and creative thinking of the artists. It recommends that divergent forms of creativity should be put in place in order to sustain the artistic impact of future environmental impasse.
