Empirical Study of the Dimensions of Cultural Identity in Contemporary Nigerian Art from the North Central Zone

Contemporary art from the North Central zone of Nigeria reflects the complex cultural identities of one of the country's most ethnically diverse regions, encompassing Tiv, Nupe, Igala, Gbagyi, and Jukun artistic traditions alongside the complex postcolonial urban identity of Abuja, and empirically examining how artists from this zone construct and express cultural identity in their work fills an important gap in regional art studies scholarship. This study empirically examined cultural identity expression in contemporary art from the North Central zone, focusing on artists based in or originating from Benue, Kogi, Niger, Plateau, Nassarawa, Kwara, and the FCT. A visual analysis and artist survey methodology was employed, combining systematic visual analysis of 80 artworks by 40 North Central artists with a structured questionnaire survey administered to the same 40 artists. Visual analysis coded for ethnic cultural symbol use, urban identity expression, spiritual and religious content, historical narrative referencing, and hybridity of identity expression. Survey data assessed artists' self-reported identity construction philosophy and regional cultural engagement. Results revealed a rich pluralism in which 72.5 percent of analysed artworks engaged with multiple identity registers simultaneously. Syncretism between indigenous spiritual traditions and Christian imagery was particularly prominent among Plateau and Benue artists. Abuja-based artists showed the highest levels of pan-ethnic hybrid identity expression. Regional cultural identity was rated as important or very important to artistic practice by 90 percent of respondents.