Poignancy of art practice and ethos of post-pandemic realities in Nigeria

Abstract

This article x-rays the poignancy of art practice and ethos of post-pandemic realities in Nigeria. The Covid-19 pandemic presumably has come and gone with its debilitating effects on livelihood, commerce, health and economy of nation states and businesses. Art practice as a source of livelihood was not spared the tsunami of destruction, lost opportunities and economic downturn. The severe short-term disruptions of art practice is felt by the artists, art galleries and the entire web of art practice conundrum in Nigeria. To this end, the paper seeks to examine how the pandemic unfolded to exacerbate the poignancy and ethos of art practice in post-pandemic realities, rethink art practice more broadly, and evoke career navigation transition. This was made possible through both historical and participatory approach of data gathering. The findings indicate that agility, resilience and being agentic are key factors of attainable growth beyond the pandemic. Adaptability, innovation and transformation form the core of sustainability of art practice in post-pandemic reality in Nigeria. It is recommended that art practitioners should redefine post-pandemic realities in order to sustain art practice with a mind-set to future proof art businesses collectively.