Aremu Oluwasegun, Ijisakin Yemi, Bello Emanuel and PSO Aremu
Celebration and commemoration are what we deem fit to showcase historical values of heroes and important people in the society. These are done through various means such as – street naming, excellent awards, chieftaincy titles, and icons on generally acceptable objects of use like currency, dedicating images and creating artworks. Outdoor sculpture, as an appendage of public art, fits into this scenario. It can be defined as a three-dimensional (3-D) or relief work of art or design created by sculptors, and specifically cited in a restricted or unrestricted open space, it can be small or big, life or above life size, or colossal in size. To critically access the role and effect of weather on outdoor Sculptures in Southwestern Nigeria, we have to define weather or simply imply that this project is the definition of weather on outdoor sculptural pieces which could be simply defined as " The state of atmosphere on a particular space and time as regards various climatic variables such as Rainfall, Temperature and Humidity etc. as they affect outdoor sculptures in the Southwestern part of Nigeria, depending on the type of material used for their execution. Sculptures can be carved, modeled, cast, constructed or assembled in whatever form as they attract attention where they are placed. The effect of weather on these sculptures communicates community values, heighten awareness, question assumptions, and transform a landscape; they can have the power, to transform the images in the area of existence over time. To corroborate this, Ref. [1] posits that ‘we can celebrate our loved ones and heroes, with these images we can as well use these sculptural pieces to celebrate our ideals. She goes further to affirm that after some time, less interest is shown by people toward the care of these sculptures. As good as various outdoor sculptures are in the environment they exist, they face unprecedented threats from the effects of weather, most especially when a few people recognize further responsibility towards their care. Artists as well as Meteorologists understand the abrupt humidity and temperature change or other climatic variables on artworks, over time which affects the outdoor sculptures. Expansion, corrosion and contraction weaken fundamental materials of outdoor sculptures. The uneven "breathing" causes a break in the adhesion between different types of materials used in the formation. The result of these negative tendencies can cause breakages and peeling of materials. Relative humidity, Temperature and Rainfall are considerably most important climatic variable affecting outdoor sculpture in this region. This scenario is not unconnected with DeChillo [2] (ibid) affirmation that “metals tarnish, bronze corrodes, and marble and even resin crack”. This paper therefore identifies and analyzes the various harsh effects of weather on outdoor sculptures in Southwest Nigeria, it also catalogues suggestive ways of ameliorating the effects.
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