This project is the artistic documentation and analysis of a group of people known as Gbagyi who inhabit the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. The project will provide a thorough investigation of the visual arts of the Gbagyi in typology, forms and function. The Federal Capital Territory Abuja came into being with the promulgation of degree No.6 of 1976, which excised from the states of Niger,
Kwara, Plateau and Kaduna. The territory has a total landmass of about 8,000 kilometers which is indigenously peopled by the Gbagyi, koro, Gade, Bassa, Gwandara, Ganagana and Ebira koto in spite of the presence of Fulani and Hausa settlers. This project of the Abuja people is aimed at documenting the six million people who largely share common origin, tradition, cultural heritage and aspirations etc. It is also the aim of the project to review the developments of the visual arts of Gbagyi on typology, forms and function to identify their materials, techniques, makers, time, place of creation and its use. Gbagyi people imbibed the notion that “Art is man”, nature being so kind provided materials which through practice, religion, occupation, belief and culture propelled the visual arts of Gbagyi people which is in the following areas. (i) Traditional Architecture
(ii) Sculpture
(iii) Traditional iron smelting
(iv) Pottery
(v) Indigenous textile
(vi) General domestic crafts.
