Tapestry Weaving as Fine Art: Practice and Exhibition in Nigerian Higher Institutions

Tapestry weaving occupies a liminal position between fine art and decorative craft, a status that has historically complicated its institutional reception in fine arts departments and its critical positioning in exhibition and collection contexts. This study examines tapestry weaving as a fine art practice within Nigerian higher institutions, focusing on the departments of fine and applied arts at Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife and the University of Benin in Benin City. Primary data are gathered from 15 tapestry weaving specialists, 30 students enrolled in fibre art courses, and 5 gallery curators through structured questionnaires and studio observation. The study evaluates the conceptual ambitions of tapestry works produced, the exhibition record of student and faculty weavers, the institutional status of tapestry relative to painting and sculpture, and the professional pathways available to graduates specialising in the medium. The theoretical framework draws on craft theory, the sociology of art hierarchies, and the feminist material culture literature that has examined the gendered devaluation of textile-based art forms. The study examines whether fine arts departments in Nigeria reinforce or challenge the hierarchies that position tapestry below painting in institutional prestige. The South West and South South geographic contexts of the case institutions allow for comparison of how institutional cultures shape attitudes to fibre art. Findings are expected to benefit art educators, the Society of Nigerian Artists, and curators seeking to expand collecting practices beyond conventional fine art media. Keywords: tapestry weaving, fine art, Nigerian universities, fibre art, art hierarchy