**5. Conceptual definitions of visual and material culture**

Culture is that which defines the way of life of a group of people and their interactions with the environment over a period of time. Moving from the abstract to the concrete and from the material realm to the immaterial domain, culture could be described as a thread that holds what a society finds valuable, meaningful and appreciable. Following the models of previous studies (Stephan, 2004; Schein, 1999; Lee, 2004; Hampden-Turner and Trompenaars, 1997; Spencer-Oatey, 2000 in Moalosi, Popovic & Hickling-Hudson, 2007), culture is firmly observed as being dynamic and multi-layered. From the perspective of the intangible elements, Lam et al. (2006) described culture as a set of values (conscious and unconscious) evolved by a group of people living in a society so as to shape that society with specific characteristics, identities, attitudes and behaviours. However, within the tangible layer, culture could also be understood in the social context of artefacts used within a particular environment.

Artefacts, as made-made objects, are a material medium for the communication of cultural values. It includes objects, processes, services and their systems. Since visual and material objects are part and parcel of such communication which gives rise to social forms, visual and material culture has emerged from the interaction between man and artefacts. Today, design artefacts have become an inseparable component of human society, a totem of cultural identity and an important source of reference for modern society. These artefacts are instrumental to aesthetic expression and socio-cultural interaction within a local context.

Industrial design education in Nigeria has focused on culture as a key drive for the design and exploration of materials in the areas of ceramics, textiles and graphical communication in order to express in handcrafted product prototypes both concept and simple design solutions. Industrial design practice tends to promote cultural significance in design formations with reference to local material explorations, ingenious material expressions and the embodiment of cultural values. Industrial design in Nigeria is craft-based and situated in the field of applied art.

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The local textile industry is diverse, with such branches as spinning, weaving, knitting, sewing, dyeing, embroidery and printing, all of which are significant for clothing, a material culture that is a part and parcel of human life. Common woven fabrics in Nigeria are "Etu", "Alari", "Sanyan", "Fuu" and "Waka", which are used for different purposes ranging from day-to-day and ceremonial use, as in for religious purposes. Cloth weaving is an outstanding craft among the variety of textiles produced in Nigeria. The woven cloths are done on narrow looms in the south-western towns of Iseyin, Oyo, Ogbomoso and Okene in Kogi State; Akwete cloth is made in Akete in Abia State. They are woven materials produced in attractive designs with rich colours and made for male and females. Resistance tie and dye textile products are traditional indigenous crafts done in different societies in Nigeria. Examples are the Hausa traditional indigo dye carried out in the Northern Nigerian areas of Kano, Sokoto and Zaria. The Kano indigo-vegetable dyeing pits are one of the most fascinating aspects of the old city. Various designs are folded into the material before dyeing and the fabric is often beaten to achieve its shiny, attractive appearance. The techniques employed to obtain this look are unmatched around the world. Moreover, although the methods adopted are ancient, these lush works of

art on fabric always remain extremely popular and continue to be in great demand.

**7. Contemporary trends in visual and material culture**

**7.1. Textiles**

**Figure 2.** A typical dye pit at Kano (2012).

**Figure 1.** Design connecting the tangible elements of culture.

Behind every man-made object is a valuable concept, beliefs, customs, rituals, habits and ideas that shape its perception within a socio-cultural environment. Visual culture has been described as the artistic tastes and interpretation of what is aesthetically pleasing to an individual depending upon the surroundings and the environment. However, it is not just artistic differences that are influenced by environmental differences. In addition, there is the practicality of the visual statement. Based on the separate goals and purposes that need to be met by aesthetics and the way in which they are interpreted within a specific locale, visual rhetoric widely varies based on classical cultural differences. There are innate differences in the way people view images because our interpretations of aesthetics and practicality stem directly from our localized cultural experiences. The interpretation of design as visual and material culture enables a broad understanding and critical awareness of its meanings as material objects, images and cultural practices that position human beings in time and space.

The term "material culture" is often used by archaeologists as a non-specific way of referring to artefacts or other concrete things left by past cultures. Material culture means something else to art historians. Interestingly enough, when they speak of material culture they look at an object within its environmental and cultural context as things left by past cultures. The organization of cultural activities such as business or economic activities led to cultural industries. The idea of 'creative industries' originated from a concern with the cultural industries. The core of the cultural industry is its creativity (Kwanashee, Aremu, Okoi & Oladokun, 2009).

### **6. Nigerian visual and material culture**

Nigeria is a large society that has different subcultures because it is made up of people bearing different value systems which influence each other to shape a specific culture for the society as a whole. The conventions and values that underlie Nigerian visual and material culture are rooted in the visual art and design forms and the key continuities and changes that characterize development from traditional to contemporary practices.

Industrial design education in Nigeria has focused on culture as a key drive for the design and exploration of materials in the areas of ceramics, textiles and graphical communication in order to express in handcrafted product prototypes both concept and simple design solutions. Industrial design practice tends to promote cultural significance in design formations with reference to local material explorations, ingenious material expressions and the embodiment of cultural values. Industrial design in Nigeria is craft-based and situated in the field of applied art.
