Igbo arts exist in a variety of ways. Igbo art forms, particularly the visual arts include sculpture (modeling with mud and carving with wood), painting (mainly body adornment and wall deco­rations) among others. The execution of the arts involved mainly two distinct stylistic traits - linear style which is the focus of 'uri'/uli' design and symbolist style which is the focus of the Mbaise Carvers otherwise called the 'Mbaise School'. The Mbaise School derives from the 'mbari' cultural phenomenon. The school uses symbolism as a creative idiom of expression in a narrative manner. The artists (carvers) employed symbolic forms to denote certain conceptual phenomena of the real and unreal using natural and man-made objects as motifs within their socio-cultural environment. That is, in their creative works, the gods and goddesses of the Igbo areas are depict­eas d aadccoapterdd ing by to the the IgbMbaise o mythology. l This paper explores and exhumes the stylistic trait of Igbo art Schoo(symbolism) under the directorship of S.A.O. Gzukueggu. The paper also examines the creative energies of the Mbaise School from its inception to its declining period and as well as its relevance in contemporary Igbo and Nigeria art. Major art works of the School sourced and the collections of the Imo State Arts and Culture Department were analysed. Photographs, interviews and observational technique were effectively utilized in the analysis and conclusions drawn for the work. The paper argues that the styles in Igbo art are very unique and highly utilized in modern art practices.
Key Words: style, Igbo, Igbo art, Igbo style, Mbaise School.