REPOSITIONING AND APPRECIATING VISUAL ART IN LANGUAGE COMMUNICATION: PROSPECTS IN NIGERIA TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS.

Abstract

The need to reposition and appreciate visual arts in language communication to be integrated in the prospects of education in Nigeria tertiary institutions is important. Tertiary institutions play crucial role in this regard. Visual art engage in recreations that are very crucial in communication and frequently act as option to other languages. Despite the fact that language communicates through words, visual art carries it out through forms, shapes lines and colours. Visual art language is apparent through forms, symbols, signs, designs, colours, textures and lines. The character and elements in visual art is subjected to different interpretations. It is viewed as a sort of personal therapy, as a vehicle of political awareness, expression and as a mechanism for social transformation. The purpose of this study is to illustrate the importance of visual art, as a means of communication and language device for awareness creation and mass mobilization. The same way spoken or written words are used as a means of communication, visual art likewise perform similar functions in communication. All these are varieties of communication and they consist of very similar truth as language. Presently, visual art teaching in Nigeria has been consequently narrowed down in the tertiary institutions’ curriculum. This affects the relevance of visual art in the Nigerian and limits its appreciation as a tool for communication. This paper therefore highlights the value of visual art and language communication repositioning in Nigeria tertiary institutions. It recommends that both visual art and language communication be utilized and appreciated for the development of the nation's tertiary institutions.